Basketball: National basketball teams off to Uganda for Africa Games qualifiers

Kenya Team's Desmond Owili (right) play against Ben Mbala of Cameroon team during friendly basketball match at Nyayo National stadium's Gymnasium on Tuesday night Nov 27, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Tough task awaits Kenyan teams as they leave the country today for the African Games basketball qualifiers at Lugogo stadium in Kampala, Uganda.

Joseph Amoko, the team’s manager said a contingent of 24 players will be in Uganda from today to July 1 for the qualifiers that brings together 11 countries in Zone Five championships. The championships tips off tomorrow.

“Our both men and women teams have been training at Nyayo Stadium for the past two weeks and we are ready for the task ahead,” Amoko told Standard Sports.

He said all the teams have prepared well and will be fighting for the one slot available from the zone. “We have assembled strong teams that are capable of winning the championships,” said Amoko.

He said the players were selected on merit and added that the arrival of foreign based players was a major boost to both teams.

The foreign-based players linked up with the teams last week and embarked on training immediately.

US-based power forward Ronnie Gundo, Australia-based center Desmond Owili and Dubai-based point guard Rose Ouma were the last to arrive in the country last Monday.

All the four foreign based men players among them Taylor Okari (Denmark) and Bush Wamukota (US) are among of the players in men’s team.

The teams are under coaches Ronnie Owino and Cliff Owuor.