Basketball: Kenya Morans beat Tunisia

Thunder's Griffin Ligare (left) and Tiberius Menya of Ulinzi during KBF playoffs at Nyayo National Stadium, Gymnasium on Sunday, November 25, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

National men’s basketball team Kenya Morans coach Cliff Owuor is well over the moon following his charges fairytale run in the ongoing Fiba AfroCan tournament in Bamako, Mali.

Morans held their nerve to beat Tunisia 82-76 in the overtime period to set a date with Morocco in last night’s semi-final clash. The Kenyans shook off a slow start having fallen 65-82 to the Democratic Republic of Congo and fought their way into the last four.

Owuor praised the Morans for their brilliance in the campaign. “After we lost our first match, we had to device a winning strategy and we agreed that we have to be brilliant in all aspects of the game. We had to tighten our defence and also play more offensively and I am glad that our game plan worked out,” Owour said.

He said victory against Tunisia was no easy and fighting to level the score in regular time and eventually winning in the extra period was a clear indicator of the strides the Kenyans have made to improve their game.

“We are on a learning curve, the competition has taught us that we need to push harder for victory. Each and everyone is learning something here, Kenyan basketball will not be the same again because we will build on our experiences to improve our standards.” 

Against Tunisia, captain Griffins Ligare top-scored for Kenya with 22 points while Bush Wamukota scored 21. Tyler Okari and Erick Mutoro who have been instrumental for Kenya in Mali as well as last month’s Fiba Zone Five games that earned them a ticket to the AfroCan tournament scored 14 points each.

Meanwhile, for all of the excitement and buzz over an unprecedented free agency period, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is one very concerned NBA citizen.

Speaking on “The Warrior Podcast” posted on Wednesday on the bay area affiliate of NBCSports.com, the three-time NBA champion head coach called out transactions sparked by star players - like Anthony Davis maneuvering his way from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Los Angeles Lakers -as “bad for the league” and “a real problem.”

“I am talking more about the Anthony Davis situation,” Kerr said. “Where a guy is perfectly healthy and has a couple of years left on his deal and says, ‘I want to leave.’ That’s a real problem that the league has to address and that the players have to be careful with.

“When you sign on that dotted line, you owe your effort and your play to that team, to that city, to the fans. And then it’s completely your right to leave as a free agent. But if you sign the contract, then you should be bound to that contract.”

Davis had initially demanded a trade from the Pelicans with over a full season remaining on his existing contract, and although New Orleans did not immediately cave to his in-season request, this offseason Davis got his wish when he was dealt with L.A.