•Both Reynolds and Wasuda are national team players and were in the side that did duty for Kenya at the FIBA AfroBasket show in Cameroon in August.
•Equity Bank have also welcomed 2019 Most Valuable Player (MVP), Annerose Mandela, to their squad.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) FIBA Africa Zone Five club championship campaign got a major boost following the arrival of two USA-based players.
Tactician Anthony Ojukwu revealed that Victoria Reynolds and Brenda Wasuda arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania ready to spearhead the porters’ onslaught.
“It’s a huge morale-booster. They arrived on Monday night from the US and we have already trained together. It is good for them to know the rest of the team,” said Ojukwu.
Both Reynolds and Wasuda are national team players and were in the side that did duty for Kenya at the FIBA AfroBasket show in Cameroon in August.
The duo will team up well with Natalie Akinyi and Velma Achieng, who also featured for the Lionesses in the continental festival.
Ojukwu also lured Uganda national team versatile player Claire Lamumu to the team ahead of the eight-team tournament that throws off on Thursday.
“Claire also arrived on Monday. She’s been playing for Kampala City and since Ugandan teams are not coming, I approached her to play for us,” he added.
He remained optimistic that KPA, who lost to JKL Dolphins in the 2019 finals at the same venue, will go a step further this time round.
Equity Bank have also welcomed 2019 Most Valuable Player (MVP), Annerose Mandela, to their squad.
“Our expectation is to build upon our previous performance with our eyes on the podium,” said coach Sylvia Kamau-Ocholla.
Participating teams are Equity Bank (Kenya), Gladiator (Burundi), Wolkite (Ethiopia), REG and The Hoops (Rwanda), JKT and Don Bosco (Tanzania).
KPA squad: Natalie Akinyi, Carolina Akinyi, Rebecca Nkatha, Victoria Reynolds, Racheal Wandago, Diana Apiyo, Brenda Wasuda, Velma Achieng, Rita Aluoch, Betty Kalanga, Yvonne Atieno, Clare Lamuni, Medina Okot, Diana and Teresia Akaranga.
Equity squad: Samba Mjomba, Hilda Ndegwa, Melissa Akinyi, Daisy Ayodi, Esther Butali, Denise Menya, Betty Kananu, Annerose Mandela, Linda Alando, Belinda Akoth, Salma Akinyi and Cynthia Maweu.