- The Dockers, who finished the National Women’s Basketball Premier League regular season unbeaten, are training at Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa as they prepare for the regional competition.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) women’s basketball team
head coach Samuel Ocholla says his side are shifting focus to the FIBA Africa
Zone Five Championship, which tips off on October 17 in Tanzania.
The Dockers, who finished the National Women’s Basketball Premier League regular season unbeaten, are training at Makande
Gymnasium in Mombasa as they prepare for the regional competition.
KPA have also booked their place in the local
premier league final, where they will face Equity Hawks, but Ocholla says the
team is making only a few adjustments to its preparations as it incorporates
new players into the squad.
“Our focus shifts to Zone Five. The way we prepared
for the league final, we only need to make a few adjustments while
incorporating the new players who have joined the team. We will have a few
training sessions from today until the 17th, when we kick off the competition,”
said Ocholla.
“I believe that with the manpower and personnel we
have, coupled with the good run we have had, we are going to carry the day at
Zone Five.”
Ocholla added that the team is targeting a better
finish than last season as it seeks to secure qualification for the Women’s
Basketball League Africa (WBLA), which will be held later in the year.
“We are working towards finishing in a higher
position than we did last season. I believe all is well; everyone is healthy
and raring to go. We will see how the tournament unfolds, as we intend to take
one game at a time as we aim to reach the finals and subsequently qualify again
to represent the country at the WBLA,” he added.
The Zone Five Championship will provide KPA with an
opportunity to secure a place at the continental showpiece as they seek to
build on their strong domestic form.