APRs Owour to strengthen squad - Feb 5, 2010 (by Olusegun Ikuesan)
Rwanda basketball kings APR have boosted their hopes of securing an unprecedented third league title in a row by chasing for two new players.
Although the clubs head coach Cliff Owuor could not reveal the players names, he said that he was looking to strengthen the point guard and shooting guard positions.
For now, all you need to know is that we are talking to two players, a point guard and a shooting guard, the former Kenyan international told Times Sport [read more]
Rwanda basketball kings APR have boosted their hopes of securing an unprecedented third league title in a row by chasing for two new players.
Although the clubs head coach Cliff Owuor could not reveal the players names, he said that he was looking to strengthen the point guard and shooting guard positions.
For now, all you need to know is that we are talking to two players, a point guard and a shooting guard, the former Kenyan international told Times Sport.
'Once, we have them on board, we shall let the public know.
Last year, the Indomitable lions swept three trophies; the league, Play-offs title and Gisembe memorial tournament.
The army side also took the 2009 FIBA Africa Club Championship by storm when they finished third in the twelve-team competition, behind eventual champions Primeiro Agosto and losing finalists Petro Atletico.
APR will resume their pre-season training next week. The team was forced to take a break after the death of Mike Buzangu (one of the clubs top players)s relative. The league throws of February 22.
By Timothy Muvunyi
What lessons did Kenyan teams KPA and Co-op Bank learn during Africa championships? - Jan 4, 2010 (by Olusegun Ikuesan)
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) basketball club and Co-operative Bank basketball club of Kenya went to the Fiba Africa club championships as Zone Five winners for men and women but they will never cherish those memories at all now and in the future.
KPA women's team traveled to Cotonou, Benin for the 15th FIBA Africa club championships while Co-op went to Kigali, Rwanda for the 24th edition. They learnt the hard way that these championships are not for the ill prepared [read more]
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) basketball club and Co-operative Bank basketball club of Kenya went to the Fiba Africa club championships as Zone Five winners for men and women but they will never cherish those memories at all now and in the future.
KPA women's team traveled to Cotonou, Benin for the 15th FIBA Africa club championships while Co-op went to Kigali, Rwanda for the 24th edition. They learnt the hard way that these championships are not for the ill prepared.
The results from these two tournaments were more or less the same which poses some hard questions about the performance of Kenyan teams at the continental podium.
Both teams got off to a flying start winning their opening matches. KPA with a huge 74-34 thumping of home girls Energie while Co-op squeezed a narrow 71-70 against Warriors basketball club of Uganda, a team they easily handled in the Kampala during the qualifiers..
After that the mountain then became too steep to climb for the two Kenyan representatives. KPA and Co-op then played meek losing all their preliminary round matches.
KPA were downed 51-66 by Desportivo (Mozambique), 84-29 by eventual winners First Bank (Nigeria), 40-63 to ABC (Ivory Coast), 47-54 to Apolitecnica (Mozambique), 43-48 to CSA (Ivory Coast) and 50-65 to First Deepwater (Nigeria).
Back to Co-op who did their best but still lost 75-83 to Inter of Congo, went down hard 79-49 to Aspac of Benin and were whipped 110-54 by reigning champions Primiero d'Agosto of Angola.
The similarity did not end there. The two teams sneaked to the quarter finals by wining one game, thanks mainly to the teams that failed to show up in Cotonu and Kigali event respectively.
That dubious distinction of reaching the last eight was quickly rendered useless as the two giants fell like nine pins bringing their club championship ambitions to a sad end.
KPA suffered a 51-66 loss at the hands of then champions Desportivo while Co-op were handed a thorough beating as Agosto showed them who were kings in that humiliating 106-56 loss.
From there it was the classification- the losers finals- and here they did not perform any better. KPA wound up eighth in a ten team show while Co-op were also number seven in a nine team event. Nothing to be proud of really.
The KPA and Co-op club championship outings raised some of the hardest questions that fans keep asking without ever really getting an answer. When will there ever be a podium finish for Kenya?
So what ails Kenyan basketball at the continental scene? Is it aged players? Lack of foresight and planning by the coaches, lack of talented players to perform at that level? physique ?
Why does the Kenyan teams go out of the Africa championships, it is always predictably what position they wound finish. Co-op had a suspect preparations going into this event.
In their first outing in Luanda, Angola in 2007, APR finished sixth, they were eighth in Tunisia in 2008 and won bronze medal at home. Aren't there some lessons for Kenyans?
Angolans dominated Africa. Nearly all players are local based and the fact that they have maintained their sterling run in the continent both at the club and national level is admirable.
Co-op have hugely gifted athletes, they have the height and the body and some of the most talented players in the country. So what happened ? Anything coach Carey Oketch and Bogonko Bosire ?
Pundits talk about team selection. They are asking why two of the most experienced players in local basketball and who would have given immense contributions were not put on the plane to Kigali ?
If you want to compare your standards in African basketball then there is no better barometer than the Angolans- both at the club and national team level.They will teach you a few lessons- softly or violently.
And this time round, Co-op saw a lot of the Angolans and they were hit hard losing by over 100 points to two of Africa's most clinical sides in eventual winners Primeiro d'Agosto and Petro Atletico.
Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) first vice chairman and the man who is with the team in Rwanda - Henry Shihemi said that the Kenyans learnt a lot in the championships. If only they will let all and sundry see what gains are being made.
KBF must now come in and make Kenya basketball look good in the eyes of everyone in the continent. The question is not when, the sooner the better. Dann OWERRE
Rwanda bid for 2010 FIBA Africa U18 for Men - Dec 30, 2009 (by Olusegun Ikuesan)
With the success in hosting the 24th FIBA Africa Champions Club for Men Rwanda through its Basketball Federation is bidding to stage the next edition of the FIBA Africa Championship for U18 Men in 2010.
This disclosure was made by the East Africa country Sports and Culture Minister, Joseph Habineza who charged the Rwanda Basketball Federation president, Eric Kalisa and his members to forward a bid for the championship to FIBA Africa for consideration [read more]
With the success in hosting the 24th FIBA Africa Champions Club for Men Rwanda through its Basketball Federation is bidding to stage the next edition of the FIBA Africa Championship for U18 Men in 2010.
This disclosure was made by the East Africa country Sports and Culture Minister, Joseph Habineza who charged the Rwanda Basketball Federation president, Eric Kalisa and his members to forward a bid for the championship to FIBA Africa for consideration.
The minister says he is confident the Rwanda federation will not disappoint in the organization of the cadet tournament.
According to the minister, staging more continental and regional championship will help to boost our basketball and prepared us to stage the biggest event in 2013.
FERWABA president, Kalisa who expresses joy at the minister statement and the Rwandan government backing of it activities promise FIBA Africa that his federation will not let down the confidence repose in his federation in staging a befitting U18 championship if considered.
Kalisa says the hosting of the 2009 FIBA Africa biggest club competition has served as an eye opener to the federation and they are prepared to keep learning and improving so as to get the stage of perfection.
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