National team captain Griffin Ligare believes only sacrifices will help players stay fit ahead of the forthcoming season.
Despite the uncertainty that surrounds the start to the season due to the coronavirus pandemic, Ligare feels it is important for players to continue training, even though in isolation, as this will make the difference once action resumes.
With his focus being the Fiba AfroBasket, Ligare said: “It is challenging but what is now clear is that we must do our own serious training as we wait for the world health situation to improve. Serious individual training is the only way we can expect to do better in the tournament.”
The playmaker, who provided 28 points to guide Morans to the Zone Five title in Nairobi in January in a tough 74-68 win over South Sudan, said all teams will be on level playing ground going into the qualifiers.
“There is no team that has an advantage over the other right now because there is almost no sporting activities going on anywhere in the continent. If it starts, it will more or less be at the same time,” Ligare, dubbed ‘Kenya One’, noted.
He added that discipline is paramount if the players were to keep their places in the team when the coach finally announces the final squad.
“There is no guarantee that the coach will keep the same players who won the qualifiers at Nyayo Stadium early this year. Any changes will depend on our own efforts,” he said.
Last week, head coach Cliff Owuor said he was pleased with how all his dispora players were training ahead of the November continental championships, whose venue is yet to be determined.
He reiterated that discipline key for all his players both at home and abroad and only for it will be crucial in deciding who makes the final roster when the time to name the squad comes.
Owuor is keenly following his five key players abroad including guard Tyler Ongwae (Denmark), center Tom Wamukota (Rwanda), forwards Ariel Okal (Algeria), Ronny Gundo and Robert Nyakundi (USA).
Kenya have been drawn against former 12-time Africa champion Angola, five-time winners Senegal and Mozambique in a four-team AfroBasket qualifiers event in November. Three teams will qualify for the continents top show.
Kenya hopes to improve on the fourth place the team managed in the 1993 tournament played at home in Nairobi. Morans made their debut in Ivory Coast 1985, with Owuor then on the court, and took part in the 1989 championships in Angola.
