Morans arrive in Kigali
A 12-man squad under coach Cliff Owuor and his assistant Sadat Gaya arrived in Kigali, Rwanda yesterday oozing with confidence, ahead of the FIBA Afrobasket qualifiers set for November 25 to 29 where the national men’s basketball team, Kenya Morans, are chasing a ticket to the continental showpiece after a 27-year hiatus.
Team’s centre player Desmond Owili who arrived in the country on Friday and was part of the team’s final training sessions on Saturday is confident that the team will clinch the priceless slot despite facing powerhouses in their four -team group ‘B’.
“We have come a long way from when we first assembled a squad for a friendly match in Rwanda back in 201, after a long period of the team remaining inactive.
From then, my aim was to see the Kenyan team playing in the Afrobasket and our chance to qualify is finally here.
We head to Rwanda with our focus set on getting that ticket in the first leg,” said Owili.
Australian based
The Australian based player came close to missing this competition due to Covid-19 restrictions in Australia but managed to pull strings and join the squad, adding to coach Owuor’s options at the centre position.
An evidently more fit Owili says he has had time to work on himself and his game and he is ready to unleash the Owili of yesteryears.
“When I played in the pre-qualifiers in January, I was not at my best and if we had lost that slot it would have been weight too much to bear for me because I felt I did not give the team my best.
Previously I have worried about the smooth running of the team more than my game but that had to change.
I set out to get my game back and despite there being no competition, I have worked on myself and my game.
I am ready to unleash the beast in me in Rwanda, leave everything on the floor, which I believe will be enough to win us games,” said Owili adding that the squad has what it takes to win all their matches.
Owili will play in the centre position alongside Patriot’s Tom ‘Bush’ Wamukota who has been in Rwanda since clinching the Rwandese title with his team.
