Bittersweet start for Kenyan teams at 3x3 Africa Cup in Egpyt
2nd December 2023
The women's team picked up a win while the men were beaten in their two matches.
- Kenya Morans lost two consecutive matches in a painful fashion at the hands of Madagascar and Benin.
- The women’s team overcame Benin 21-14.
- The Kenyan women are scheduled to battle it out with Madagascar, Morocco and Nigeria on Saturday.
The Kenya national women’s and men’s 3x3 basketball teams
registered mixed results at their opening matches of the 2023 Africa Cup in
Cairo, Egypt on Friday night, December 1.
The women’s team which is made up of Madina Okot, Mercy
Wanyama and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) duo of Hilda Indasi and Natalie
Akinyi overcame Benin 21-14.
Mercy, who is the younger sibling to the former Harambee
Stars duo of Victor Wanyama and McDonald Mariga, put on an impressive display
as she registered six points and 15 rebounds.
Play here and
stand a chance of wining the over 337 Million SportPesa Mega Jackpot
However, Mercy could not match Adeshokan Odou’s impeccable
performance with the Benin star making a contribution of 14 rebounds and eight
points.
The other teams in pool B include West African nation Nigeria,
Madagascar and Morocco. Pool A has the defending champion and hosts Egypt,
Algeria, Senegal, Mali and East African side Uganda.
The Kenyan women are scheduled to battle it out with Madagascar, Morocco and Nigeria on Saturday. Should the team top their group, they will book a direct ticket to the semifinals.
Play
here to place your bet on the Newcastle vs Man United game on SportPesa
However, a second or third place finish will make it harder for them to qualify for the top four since they will have to feature in the in play-in matches.
In the men’s category, Kenya Morans lost two consecutive
matches in a painful fashion at the hands of Madagascar and Benin.
African powerhouse Madagascar narrowly edged past Kenya with
a 19-18 score line while Benin took a close 18-16 victory over the Morans.
Faheem Juma was Kenya’s most instrumental male player, with
a contribution of four rebounds and six points. The other players in the squad
include Ariel Ortega, Victor Ochieng and Albert Odero.
ALSO READ: Kenya skin Somalia in CECAFA U18 thriller to maintain unbeaten
start
Kenya have to win their next two pool matches against
Morocco and Mali to increase their chances of advancing to the semis.
Basketball fans can catch all the action of the tournament on the FIBA 3X3 YouTube page with the curtains expected to come down on Sunday, December 3.
ALSO READ: SportPesa Mega Jackpot hits 337 Million in December