L. MathekaLionesses set for title defense in Kampala
Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 13.02.23. | 20:24
The competition qualifies teams for the Women’s Afrobasket and Africa Games set for later this year.
Coach George Mayienga is hoping to guide his charges, Kenya Lionesses, to a successful FIBA Africa Zone Five Women’s title defense.
Five teams have confirmed participation in the competition that serves as the qualifier to the Women’s Afrobasket and doubles as the qualifying tournament for the Africa Games.
The national basketball team left the country on Sunday midnight (early Monday morning) for Kampala, Uganda where they are set to face the hosts, Egypt, Rwanda and South Sudan.
Other countries in the zone said to have opted out of the competition include Burundi, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
Uganda is hosting this year’s six-day tournament at the Lugogo Indoor Arena from 14 to 19 February.
"Training has been on for a few weeks but we had alot of hiccups. We did not get good time to prepare but we have tried our level best.
Heading to Uganda as the defending champions is quite the challenge. We have teams like Egypt that did well in the the last Afrobasket, despite losing to Kenya in the qualifiers.
Uganda have also been out of competition for quite some time so we do not know what they have up their sleeves.
We played South Sudan but we don't know what improvements they have done ahead of this year’s competition and same goes for Rwanda. It is a tall order but we will manage," coach Mayienga offered ahead of the team's departure for Kampala.
The five teams will be tussling for a single slot in the 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket and one for the next round of the African Games.
In the 2021 edition, Lionesses beat Egypt for the very first time to book an automatic qualification slot to the Afrobasket.
The North Africans, however, landed a wild card and went on to finish in fifth place as Kenya settled for ninth.
Kenya will field a squad of experienced players led by Kenyan International Victoria Reynolds, Rose Ouma and Mercy Wanyama. Utility player Felmas Koranga who was instrumental in the team's qualification for the Afrobasket in 2021 will miss the event.
Equity Hawks forward Melissa Akinyi will captain the side that has guards Natalie Akinyi and Hawks' new acquisition Deborah Obunga. Maryann Wanjiku joins her teammates in her debut for the Lionesses.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) forward Seline Okumu makes the team alongside centre player Vilma Owino.
Others inclined Rachael Odhiambo who joined Hawks this season from Uganda. Zetech Sparks duo of Madina Okot and Christine Akinyi also made the team.
