Kenya Morans’ guard Albert Odero believes they have what it takes to return to the FIBA Afro-Basket.
The team has prepared well for the last two months and are focused on the task ahead. Morans are in Group ‘E’ of the qualifiers that throw off in Monastir, Tunisia, on Friday.
Odero, who is expected to play a key role in Morans’ surge in their second appearance at the continental premier competition, said two training sessions a day have helped them gel as a team.
“We don’t have some of the players we had in the last championship and this means we will have to step up our game. We must do all we can to return to Afro-Basket,” said Odero, who played college basketball at Arkansas Tech University, USA.
“We will come back with a win. We are all competing for our respective countries and this will be war and we must be ready,” said Odero, a member of the side that finished ninth in the last Africa Championship held in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2021.
Odero was instrumental in Morans’ three friendly matches, beating Nairobi-based South Sudan team 86-83, Nairobi Select 104-100 and University Select 103-64.
Kenya play Angola and Guinea in Tunisia. Captain Víctor Bosire said they are no longer underdogs having beaten 11-time Africa champions Angola in 2021 qualifiers in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) released the final team that has three diaspora-based players— Derrick Mekenye (Spain), Joel Awich (France) and Desmond Owili (Australia).
Others are Ariel Ortega, Eugene Adera, Albert Odero, Bramwell Mwombe, Fidel Okoth, Faheem Juma, Victor Bosire, Griffin Ligare and Ariel Okal.
The officials are Cliff Owuor (coach), Ancetas Wafula (assistant coach), Mercine Milimu (team manager), Duncan Ndeda (team doctor) and Eastus Mugo (physiotherapist).
