The National men's basketball team, Kenya Morans, hit training last week in preparation for the upcoming AfroBasket qualifiers set to tip off on February 23 in Tunis.
The team is under coach Cliff Owuor with Australian head coach Grant Wallace expected to join the team in the first week of February.
The Kenyan-based players are all in the non-residential training, with the foreign-based legion expected to start streaming in next week alongside their tactician as Kenya looks to secure a place in next year’s AfroBasket.
Ancet Wafula has been preferred for assistant coach in place of Sadat Gaya who has held the position for several of Morans' assignments in the recent past.
"Coach Wallace will be joining the technical bench on a medium term contract from Australia. He will be in Kenya from February. We are looking to tap on his experience to bring diverse coaching styles, perspectives and valuable insights into global trends and competition," acting Secretary General (SG) Angela Luchivya wrote in her communique while introducing the tactician.
While emphasizing coach Wallace's role as technical director, KBF maintained that Australia has a strong basketball youth development system and programs which can be replicated here if Kenya made use of the tactician.
“We also look to tap on his tactical expertise and strategic approach to games which Australia is known for. He will also help us open up networks for our players, coaches and attract attention from sponsors, scouts, and global basketball enthusiasts.”
Captained by Equity Bank's Victor Bosire, the squad has more than 10 foreign-based players and is a mix of youth and experience with some new names introduced including Ambaka le Greham who moved from France to USA where he played junior high basketball Freedom Christian Academy in Fayetteville.
Also joining the team are David Gichuhi who is unattached, US-based Evans Ojwang and Jeff Onyango of Moischers, currently playing in division two.
Kenya is in group E that has Tunisia, Angola and Guinea with the top two finishers earning an automatic slot to the AfroBasket 2025.