Kenyan Koranga set to write history in US Collegiate basketball

National women’s basketball team star forward Felmas Koranga is in line to become the first player from Kenya to play in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division One League after signing for Troy University in the United States on Wednesday.

Koranga, who was named the 2020 Women Basketball College Association (WBCA) Player of the Year at the just concluded season while at Tyler College in the National Junior Collegiate Athletics Association (NJCAA) League, was the nation’s number two junior college recruit according to World Exposure Report composite Ranking, an NCAA certified scouting service.

Koranga's last assignment for Kenya Lionesses was the Africa Zone Five Championship in Uganda last June where Kenya finished second behind Egypt.

She was also named in the World Exposure First team All-American and the NJCAA First team All American, becoming, yet again, the first Kenyan woman basketball player to achieve the feat.

Speaking to Nation Sport from her base in Texas, USA, the former Shimba Hills Secondary School forward said signing for Troy was a dream come true and promised to work even harder to attract the scouts from WNBA.

"First I just want to thank everyone who has been part of my great journey all the way since my high school days at Shimba Hills where I learnt my basketball to Tyler Junior College. I thank God for granting me this opportunity to explore a different world,” said Koranga said while heaping a lot of praise on coaches Trenia Tillis Hoard and Bryant Porter for holding her hand during her time in college.

During her two years at Tyler where her former Shimba Hills classmates Taudencia Katumbi and Lynet Juma attended, she amassed over 1,000 points and 750 rebounds — a college record.

She finished sixth in the nation for blocks with 92, was 16th in total points scored (590), and fifth for total rebounds (407). She also recorded 26 double-doubles in 31 starts.

“I also want to thank my family, my teammates for both my freshman year and my sophomore year, and fans. The support, the love they showed me is just priceless,” said the 24-year-old, who is the second born child of former Harambee Stars and Scarlet winger Elijah Koranga said.

Koranga, who was also on the radar of several other top universities in the USA, said she was at happy to have reached her final decision on where she would love to continue her career after committing to Troy University.