© FIBA
© FIBA

2025 Afrobasket Qualifiers: Morans up against Tunisia in opening qualification duel

Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 23.02.24. | 09:13

Cliff Owour and his side will need not look at Tunisia's recent record in the continental championships

Kenya’s journey back to the FIBA Afrobasket after a historic qualification back in 2021, will begin Friday evening, when Morans set out in their qualification match against hosts and three time tournament champions Tunisia.

Kenya are placed in Group E of the 2025 FIBA Afrobasket Qualifiers taking place in Tunis, and will for the first window of the qualification phase take on every group opponent; Tunisia, Guinea and Angola once.

Friday’s game, already billed as one to build momentum for Cliff Owour’s 12-man squad that touched down in Tunisia on Wednesday, tips off at 1900 EAT at Salle Mohamed Mzali Arena.

“We have one goal in mind and that is to try and compete and show that we belong on this stage,” returnee forward Joel Awich told FIBA ahead of the tournament. “Our goal is to get back to AfroBasket, and with that comes, getting some of these wins in this early window. We are here to compete.”

Against Tunisia, Morans will be coming up against a juggernaut; 2017 and 2021 champions, and third place finishers in 2015.

“The amount of training time we’ve had as a group gives me confidence,” Ariel Okal, expected to lead the group alongside skipper Victor Bosire said. “We worked on the basic stuff and even here, all the fundamentals we polished up will be on show and key for what I believe will be a win for us.”

Kenya's recent meeting with Tunisia was in July 2023 in the FIBA AfroCan 5-6 positional classification game, where the North Africans, powered by lead points scorer Jawhar Jawadi saw off Morans 59-67 to ultimately finish sixth.

In the other Group E tie, Guinea will take on Angola at 1600 EAT at the same venue.

FULL SQUAD: Victor Bosire (captain), Desmond Owili (Assistant Captain), Derrick Ogechi, Griffin Ligare, Bramwell Muchina, Fidel Okoth, Faheem Juma, Ariel Ortega, Albert Odero, Ariel Okal, Eugene Adera.


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Kenya Morans Basketball Team2025 FIBA AfrobasketFIBAFIBA AfricaCliff OwuorAriel OkalJoel Awich

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