Basketball in Africa

While Kenya has had a successful run in basketball in the region, the country has not been doing well in the continent.

During last year’s Africa Women’s Championship held at the Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium in Nairobi, despite being the hosts, Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) women’s Premier League champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) finished eighth, even losing to debutants APR of Rwanda.

Desportivo of Mozambique won the event in which Primero de Agosto of Angola emerged runners-up.

But the team recovered to win this year’s regional clubs championship in Uganda, Kampala, alongside compatriots Co-operative Bank (Co-op Bank), who won the men’s title. Co-op Bank is also gearing up for African Club Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, in December.

Even then, the teams’ current form is wanting and there is need for team officials and KBF to put a strategy in place if they are to stand the test in Rwanda and Benin, where this year’s championships for men and women will be held in November and December. The tendency for last-minute preparation should be a thing of the past.

Having been to many continental championships, KPA should be aiming at a medal to show for their effort. So far, the KPA’s best performance was in 1999 in Senegal, where they finished fourth.

The teams should use local league fixtures to prepare for their continental title chase so that they do not merely make up the numbers. Like it did before the regional championships, KBF should restructure local league ties involving the teams to give them adequate time to prepare for the continental event.