Kenya Morans camp got a huge boost following the arrival of Australia-based center Desmond Owili ahead of the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers Window 1 slated for February 23-25 in Tunisia.
Coach Cliff Owuor said he is impressed with the towering centre's first training session with the rest of the team. He said their pursuit of the rest of the diaspora-based players will continue.
“He is giving us good size,” a happy Owuor noted. “He has also brought positive vibes.”
Owili, one of the 13 diaspora-based players named to the side is making a return to the national side after missing out in the FIBA AfroCan in Luanda, Angola last July. Kenya finished sixth.
Morans are pooled in Group E and will open their campaign against host and African champions Tunisia. Their second match is against 11-time champions Angola before they wind up with a match against Guinea.
During the same time, Cairo will host Group B matches involving Egypt, Cote d'Ivoire, Madagascar, and the Central Africa Republic. The rest of the group matches will be held in November.
The national side will play their second friendly match in a week when they take on a Nairobi Select side at the Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium on Saturday.
Last Saturday, Kenya lost 86-83 against a local-based South Sudan side in an entertaining encounter played at the same venue before a fully packed gymnasium. Morans led 45-37 at halftime.
Owuor said he was impressed with the team’s first-half showing in that match but remained concerned about their physical endurance as the game progressed.
The team missed the experience of playmaker Griffin Ligare and forward Ariel Okal who were unavailable for the contest.
The trio of Albert Odero, Ivan Ombiro and Eugene Adera led the team’s scoring tally with 18, 17 and 11 points respectively.
