National champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) are seeking to beef up the squad ahead of the new season which starts next month.
Coach Anthony Ojukwu said they held trials over the weekend and are ready to plug into the gaps, especially in the senior men’s team and the junior categories.
He said the new set of players will be engaged in the Kenya National Basketball League. “The trials were very successful. I believe we got the players whom we wanted locally for the senior men’s team and the youth teams for both boys and girls,” offered Ojukwu.
He said the turnout for the senior women's team was not good and they have decided to do it in Nairobi at a later so that they have a good pool to choose from.
“For the seniors' ladies' team, the turnout was not good enough so we will do it later in Nairobi to give a chance to those who did not make it to Mombasa.”
He added, “We have our project work plan and by the time the league and international assignments fixtures are out, I believe we will be somewhere with our preparations.”
The long-serving and highly successful porters coach said they have set their targets and they will review them before the start of the new season. “I believe when the league throws off, we will be ready to defend our titles," he said.
KPA men and women teams will open their KNBL assignments against teams they beat for the title in the play-off finals at their Makande Welfare Hall backyard in Mombasa in June.
They are pitted against Equity Bank Dumas and Zetech University Sparks respectively on August 25in the first-ever top-of-the-bill clash pitting the finalists.
Joseph Amoko, the KNBL competition secretary said he is working on the first leg fixtures that will be released soon after the team managers meeting set for August 5 at Nyayo Stadium.
Meanwhile, the Nairobi Basketball League held their 2023 All-Star Festival at Strathmore University Sports Complex over the weekend. The event also marked the start of the second-leg matches.
Team East had a close 23-21 advantage at halftime and went on to beat Team West 56-49. The winners were led by Martin Ooko who scored 16 points while Prince Wandera posted the losers' 15.
In the women's category, Team East trailed 18-32 at the breather and never recovered, succumbing to a 55-32 loss at the hands of Team West. Darlene Muruga scored the winners' 14 points.
