• The top two teams will qualify for the quarter-finals while the last will book tickets back to their respective countries.
• Kenya booked their ticket to a second straight FIBA Women’s AfroBasket when they defeated favourites Egypt 99-83 in the Zone 5 qualifiers final in Kigali, Rwanda.
Kenya coach George Mayienga says the 2021 Women’s FIBA AfroBasket draw is favourable for the Lionesses but insists they will take one game at a time.
The tactician was speaking after the continental body released the draws for the championship slated for Yaounde, Cameroon between September 17 and 24.
Kenya avoided the top four teams from the previous tournament, where they are pooled in Group ‘A’ alongside Cameroon and Cape Verde.
The top two teams will qualify for the quarter-finals while the last will book tickets back to their respective countries.
“We will take on our opponents in the group knowing that only two of the three teams will move to the next round,” Mayienga said.
“If we train and play our cards well, we have a chance. But we will see what we have in store once the championships start.”
He said that changes in training regime are needed ahead of the games and he is hopeful that they will have some friendly matches to fine-tune the team.
In their last show in Dakar, Senegal in 2019, Lionesses lost all their three games — 64-57 to Cape Verde, 64-51 to Angola and 55-39 to Mozambique.
Kenya booked their ticket to a second straight FIBA Women’s AfroBasket when they defeated favourites Egypt 99-83 in the Zone 5 qualifiers final in Kigali, Rwanda.
The Lionesses started off poorly, losing 77-45 to Rwanda before giving up a 25-point lead against Egypt to lose 107-106 in their second loss.
Full draw
Group A: Kenya, Cameroon, Cape Verde.
Group B: Nigeria, Mozambique, Zone 6 winners.
Group C: Senegal, Egypt, Gabon.
Group D: Mali, Cote d’ivoire, wild card.