Ulinzi W*rriors chase second t*tle at EAC M******y Games
Ulinzi Warriors will be chasing their second title when Kenya hosts the East African Community (EAC) Military Games and Cultural Event at Kasarani Stadium from August 11 to 24.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) basketball side, clinched their first title in 2013 when the country hosted the event, but has finished second in the subsequent editions save for 2017 when they were placed fourth.
Coach William Balozi is upbeat of the team’s ability to dethrone holders Tanzania and has since named a strong squad of 14. The team comprises players drawn from Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) league sides Warriors and Morans.
The tactician will have the services of KDF Morans’ centre George Muchiri and the dynamic duo of Graham Indasi and Nelvis Okaro who play for Morans as forwards. The three will team up with the 11 Warriors players who are eligible to play in this championship.
“We have been training as a unit and the local leagues have kept the players active and ready for the title campaign. We have a tough task ahead. We expect all teams to be strong but we have prepared for that,” said Balozi.
The team narrowly missed a second place finish in the previous edition by three points as they picked a win against Uganda but could not master the aggregate point difference to go second in the standings.
“We have home advantage and we will try as much as possible to use that to our benefit. We know what to expect from the other teams but with South Sudan making their debut, we do not know how strong their squad is but we are prepared for any eventuality,” added Balozi.
