Ochieng, Khaemba get nod in strong Morans squad
Kenya Morans team pose for photos in their new kits from the national team management board at Nyayo Stadium on February 13, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Mills also revealed that she will be travelling to Yaounde with a 13-member squad and not 12 as has been the norm because of the coronavirus pandemic.
- Kenya lie third in the group and can clinch a place in the African finals by matching the results of fourth-placed Mozambique.
Equity Bank's inspirational guard Victor Ochieng and Ulinzi Warriors guard Joseph Khaemba are the only local-based new players in the Kenya Morans team named by Australian Liz Mills to do duty in the second and final round of Afrobasket qualifiers.
Kenya depart for Yaounde, Cameroon on Monday for the Group “B” qualifiers that tip off later in the week. Ochieng and Khaemba were in the preliminary squad that was named for round one of the qualifiers in Kigali last November but failed to make the final team.
Kenya lie third in the group and can clinch a place in the African finals by matching the results of fourth-placed Mozambique.
Highly rated Senegal lead the group followed by Angola. The duo are certain to secure their finals berth in that order.
Coaching in Africa
The vastly experienced Mills, who has been coaching in Africa for 10 years now, her last assignment helping Patriots of Rwanda to a first place finish at the Basketball Africa League qualifiers in Kigali Rwanda in 2019, made two other changes.
She dropped tough point guard Victor Bosire, who had difficulty getting released at his place of work and Fahim Juma, who just signed for Equity Bank this season from Thunder.
Mills also revealed that she will be travelling to Yaounde with a 13-member squad and not 12 as has been the norm because of the coronavirus pandemic. “We do not want to take chances. I requested for one extra player just in case,” she said.
Kenya Morans squad: Griffin Ligare (captain), Erick Mutoro, Joseph Khaemba, Tylor Okari, Preston Bungei, Victor Ochieng, Valentine Nyakinda, Ariel Koranga, Joel Awich, Ronnie Gombe, Tom Wamukota, Desmond Blacio, Fidel Okoth, Liz Mills (head coach), Sadat Gaya (assistant coach)
