Basketball in Africa

KENYA Basketball Federation (KBF) will call few players from the Diaspora to bolster the national team's chances during the All Africa Games qualifiers in Uganda in September.
KBF chairman Paul Otula said he has picked a team headed by former chairman and FIBA commissioner Agina Wesonga to help raise funds for the team and supplement the government commitment. The top teams from the Zone Five qualifiers to be held at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium in Kampala from September 20-25 will also qualify for the FIBA Africa Nations Cup.
"We want to make this a successful outing for the national teams. I have asked Agina to mobilise his financial team and raise money for this venture," said Otula. He explained that the money will also be used to bring few players for the tournament. The KBF supremo also revealed that ex-international Peter Kiganya, who is in the USA, will coordinate the diaspora players and he is also expected to come back home to help out in handling the teams.
The KBF boss named Dankind Academy coach John Coffino as the national team technical director and Immediately after his appointment, the tactician who also coached in USA and the Gulf States, said he is "ready to help".
"Kenyans can make it to the Pan Africa Games. All we need to do is start our preparations early. We must also appeal to friends and well wishers to donate in cash and kind," he said.
Otula said the training programme will start off once the four coaches appointed last week come up with a provisional squad. " We expect the team to alternate training between Nyayo and Safaricom Arena, Kasarani," he said. Anthony Ojukwu (KPA) and Tony Ochieng (Strathmore University) will handle the men's side while Evelyn Kedogo (Eagle Wings) and David Maina (Equity Bank ) will take care of the women.
Agina, who departed for Madagascar yesterday for the FIBA Africa Congress, said he will hit the ground running once he comes back. "I have already held a meeting with some of the members and we hope to roll out our plan once I return. We will need more people in the team," he said.