In Yaounde, Cameroon

Foreign based stars were conspicuously missing at the Younde International Aiport as six Kenya Morans players boarded the Nairobi-bound plane at 2.20pm EAT Tuesday.

While Denmark-based Tylor Okari and Preston Kiprono Bungei, together with France based Joel Awich left Yaounde on Monday night straight to their bases, Ariel Okal left for Oman earlier in the day.

Also missing at the airport after returning home on Monday morning was captain Griffin Ligare and Victor Ochieng, who had to return to work.

The rest of the squad including head coach Elizabeth Mills boarded the flight and are expected at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 1.20am Wednesday, where a warm reception led by government officials awaits them.

The Kenyan team was taken to the airport in VIP fashion, with the driver who had picked the team from their Meumi hotel base, racing to beat the time.

At the airport, they were easily let in to their clearance area to board the plane.

The Kenyan contingent were in an upbeat mood after making it to the Afrobasket finals with a historic 74-73  win over Angola and coach Mills believes there is alot she has to do for the team to be ready for the August event..

"I want to stay in Kenya for two weeks so that I can have an opportunity  to watch the league matches and see if I can identify some players locall to beef up the squad," she said.

According to her, she will be returning to the country in July where she expects full training for Afrobasket finals to start. 

"As a professional coach, I believe in preparing for an international event between four to seven weeks, otherwise anything more than that becomes boring," she added.