Kenya Morans will need to build on their endurance ahead of the 2025 FIBA Afro-Basket Window 1 Qualifier in Tunisia in the next two weeks, coach Cliff Owuor said.
The tactician noted the team’s physical strength is wanting after they managed a close 86-83 win against a local-based South Sudan team at Nyayo Stadium gymnasium on Saturday evening.
He said he was impressed with the team’s first and second-quarter performance, which they led due to their transition. “But as the game progressed, fatigue crept in and they struggled,” he noted
He added : “We started well but got tired as the game progressed and this was our main undoing. Starting tomorrow, we will have to work more on our endurance.”
The other weak area the team will need to take care of before they travel for their Group ‘E’ qualifiers against the host, Angola and Guinea is their zone offence. “There are things we are not doing well. We are freezing on zone offense and this must be improved in the remaining days.”
He said they missed the services of experienced Griffin Ligare and Ariel Okal who were unavailable and had post players Fidel Okoth and Bramwell Muchina in foul trouble.
Eugene Adera got the game going with an opening left-handed floater before Morans built a 19-9 cushion on a trey by Brans Nzioka with 2:17 minutes left to play. Another three-pointer by Ariel Ortega then pushed the advantage to 22-10.
South Sudan, led by Garang Diing and Moses Alier, had their chances but struggled to score from the foul line. They trailed 45-37 as the two sides went to the breather.
But after resumption, it was the losers, who pegged Morans down in the third and deciding quarter, posting 21-20 and 25-21 score-line respectively.
Albert Odero led Morans' scoring tally with 18 points, Ivan Ombiro nailed 17 while Adera shot 11. For the South Sudanese, Alier recorded 22, Aboat Aboch grabbed 20 and Bol Wieu dropped 11.
In the women’s premier league tie, Equity Bank Hawks clobbered TH3 Swish 67-27 at Menengai High School, Nakuru.
United States International University (USIU) Flames torched Africa Nazarene University (ANU) Panthers 50-39 at the Nyayo.
In the lower division matches, Jeff Onyango registered 28 points as Moischers thumped Kisii Raptors 86-47 while Creeks defeated neighbours 57-26.
Congo Nets won 48-43 over Kisii Raptors, Snipers shot down Coastal Kings 54-49 as Kisumu Lady Bucks rampaged to a 71-33 victory over Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) University in a women’s tie.
