Kenya Ports Authority can make a mark in the FIBA Women's Africa Champions Cupstyarting on Friday in Maputo, Mozambique, according to assistant coach Brenda Angeshi.
The tactician yesterday said KPA women arrived safely in the Mozambican port city for the nine-day show. The team was set for their first training session today (Thursday).
She said she expects the two Nigerian players—point guard Ifunaya Okoro and forward Gift Danguso—recruited for the tournament to bring a lot on board.
"The Nigerians are good. We trained together in Mombasa for five sessions and I guess they will make a positive impact," said the playmaker, who has represented KPA in many such continental meetings.
She, however, admitted that gelling will pose some challenges since they haven't trained together as a team for long.
" Considering not all the players are based in Mombasa remains a matter of concern since we haven't trained together as a team," she noted.
She said they expect playmaker and captain Natali Akinyi to steer the team alongside experienced Vilma Owino and Selina Okumu as well as USA-based Brenda Wasuda.
Upcoming Jemimah Omondi, Madina Okot and Rebecca Nkatha will equally be out to prove a point and they are expected to impact positively on the team.
KPA hope to match the feat achieved by Eagle Wings who became the first Kenyan club to make a podium finish, bagging a bronze medal in Meknes, Morocco in 2013.
The 16-time Kenyan champions have dominated the FIBA Africa Zone Five show for many years earning their tickets to the festival as either the winners or runners-up.
The ports women started their continental campaign in Dakar, Senegal in 1999 with their best outing being in Luanda, Angola in 2007, where they finished in fifth.
KPA, Sporting Alexandria and Rwanda Patriotic Army (APR) qualified for the championship from Zone Five in Dar-es salaam, Tanzania in October.
The others teams are AS Ville Dakar (Senegal), Energie BBC (Benin), Overdose Up Station (Cameroon), ASB CNSS (DR Congo) and Inter Clube de Luanda (Angola).
