Kenya Morans beat Guinea 80-74 in the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers to move closer to next year’s African Championship.
In this must-win Group ‘E’ game, Morans went to work early and showed class by taking a 24-19 first-quarter cushion.
Kenya, who had lost their opening two games, falling 90-69 to Tunisia and 88-58 to Angola, maintained the tempo with a 25-19 edge in the second.
But that 49-36 halftime lead was stretched as point guard Shannon Evans led a Guinea comeback.
The West Africans went up 22-15 in the third quarter and Kenya just did enough to repel the threats, locking up a balanced fourth quarter 16-16.
Kenya’s first win of the competition was ignited by an on-form Albert Odero as diaspora-based Joel Awich and Derrick Ogechi also impressed.
“We just got to go back, regroup and come back stronger in the next window. We need to make sure we don’t turn over the ball and make sure we rebound. We need to make shots,” said Ogechi.
Odero led Morans scoring tally with 19 points, Ogechi added 16 and Awich had 13.
Evans tallied a game-high 29 points as Abdoulaye Saye and Ouma Barry registered 16 each for the winless Guinea.
The losers had stretched Tunisia before losing 85-78 in a game that went into overtime.
Other results
Group ‘B’ Uganda 72 Nigeria 62
Group ‘D’ Central Africa Rep 67 Cote D’Ivoire 93.
Group ‘D’ Madagascar 66 Egypt 97.
Group ‘B’ Libya 68 Cape Verde 72.
