Sloppy Kenya Morans fall to Morocco in AfroCan quarters
Morocco's Jihad Benchlikha (right) is guarded by Kenya's Eugene Adera during their 2023 AfroCan Championship quarter-final match on July 13, 2023 in Luanda, Angola.
What you need to know:
- The loss means Kenya, who were silver medallists in the first edition of the tournament in Bamako, Mali in 2019, will now go home empty handed. Morans lost 82-61 to Democratic Republic of Congo in the final in 2019.
- Expectations were therefore high for Kenya to improve on their second position four years ago to win this year's championship.
Costly turnovers and poor rebounding late in the fourth quarter proved costly as Kenya Morans fell 55-46 to Morocco in the AfroCan quarterfinals in Luanda, Angola yesterday.
The loss means Kenya, who were silver medallists in the first edition of the tournament in Bamako, Mali in 2019, will now go home empty handed. Morans lost 82-61 to Democratic Republic of Congo in the final in 2019.
Expectations were therefore high for Kenya to improve on their second position four years ago to win this year's championship.
Former Fiba international referee Juma Kent said Kenya Morans lost because of poor preparations.
"Kenya Morans put up a good performance against Morocco despite having had inadequate preparations," Kent said.
Champions Democratic Republic of Congo kept alive their dream of retaining the title after qualifying for the semi-finals with a narrow 74-72 win over Nigeria in the quarter-finals also on Thursday.
DR Congo qualified for the quarters after finishing top in Group "D" with four points unbeaten.
Nigeria beat Gabon 71- 55 in the knockout round to reach the quarter-finals.
Morans qualified for the quarters after emerging winners in Group "A" on points difference. Three teams Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon and Morans had tied on three points each.
Morocco defeated Cameroon 78-50 in the knockout tie after finishing second in Group "C" with three points to set a date with Morans.
The championship was started by Fiba for the purpose of developing players who play in local leagues in Africa. Each team is only allowed to field two professionals based outside Africa continent.
At the at Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda Arena, Morans got the first basket through United States-based Derrick Ogechi before Morocco replied three-pointer to
go up 3-2.
Morans' Rwanda-based forward Bush Wamukota the made a basket before Morocco took a 6-3 lead. The North Africans would go on to take the first quarter 17-10.
Morocco led 34-22 at the break.
Morans came out of the locker room re-energised, and pushed for a 15-9 score in the third quarter to cut Morocco's lead to six going into the final 10 minutes.
"We didn't stay within our game plan. We did good in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter we didn't get the right shots. Credit to Morocco because of the pressure they put on our guys , which forced bad decisions," Morans head coach Cliff Owuor said.
Morans then worked themselves into a three-point deficit, as they trailed 48-45 before veteran guard Griffins Ligare missed a game-tying three.
"It's the quarterfinals. You have to give your all, otherwise you go home. In the first quarter they shot a lot of three-point shots - especially number 22 (Jihad Benchlikha). He sank like four three-points and that's what we struggled to fight the whole game," Kenya guard Erick Mutoro said after the exit.
"In the last edition, Morocco finished in the semifinals, but we want to do better than the past edition. My players stuck to our game plan," Morocco head coach Labib El Hamrani said.
Morocco then capitalised on Morans turnovers to go on a 5-0 run to take a commanding 53-45 lead. They never looked back as they sealed a semis slot with a deserved 55-46 win over Morans.
Additional reporting by Fiba Africa
