National team camp registers full house

USIU women's basketball coach Cliff Owuor gestures on the touchline on October 27, 2018 during their Premier League match against against Eagle Wings at USIU Basketball Court in Nairobi. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • The teams are set to play against Kenya select teams on Friday night where the coaches are expected to gauge the players before coming up with the final lists.
  • All the four foreign based men players among them Taylor Okari(Denmark) and Bush Wamukota (US ), who landed earlier made the list of 15 that will continue training according to coach Owuor.

All the foreign-based players have linked up with the national men and women basketball teams training for the African Games qualifiers set to tip off in Kampala, Uganda next week.

US-based power forward Ronnie Gundo, Australia-based centre Desmond Owili and Dubai-based point guard Rose Ouma were the last to arrive in the country on Monday completing the roster of the players called to the national teams as coaches Ronnie Owino for women and Cliff Owuor look set to name the final 12 who will do duty for the country in Uganda.

While men’s coach Ronnie Owino reduced the team to 17 on Sunday, coach Owuor has opted to work with only 15 ahead of the final naming of the final team this weekend.

The teams are set to play against Kenya select teams on Friday night where the coaches are expected to gauge the players before coming up with the final lists.

All the four foreign based men players among them Taylor Okari(Denmark) and Bush Wamukota (US ), who landed earlier made the list of 15 that will continue training according to coach Owuor.

Others are captain Griffin Ligare, his assistant James Mwangi, shooting guards Eric Mutoro, Victor Ochieng, Faiz Faheem, Brian Namake, Brain Muramba and Michael Makiadi. Others are Valentine Nyakinda, Joseph Khaemba and Ariel Okal.

The arrival of gifted guard Ouma from Dubai completed the roaster for the women team, which also has Mercy Wanyama who arrived from Spain last week.

Also in the squad and training with the squad are experienced point guard Samba Mjomba, indefatigable Strathmore Swords utility players Clara Rotich and Edna Kola.

Others are captain Hilda Indasi, Debra Obunga, Annrose Mandela, Natalie Akinyi, Beryl Aoko, Christine Akinyi, Belinda Okoth, Seline Okumu, Becky Nkatha, Vilma Awino, Melisa Akinyi and Betty Kananu.

“We have assembled a very good Kenya team and should be able to repeat the 2013 performance in Dar es salaam, Tanzania when we beat all teams including the dreaded Egypt to win the Zone Five Championships title," said Ronnie Owino.

He praised the players for giving their all during training and promised that selection of the final list will be purely on merit.