Okari, Ligare star as Morans outgun Mali in Afrobasket - Capital Sports
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Tyler Okari dunks for Team Kenya. PHOTO/FIBA

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Okari, Ligare star as Morans outgun Mali in Afrobasket

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 29 – Tyler Okari and Griffin Ligare starred as the Kenya Morans shut down Mali 72-66 in their final group match to proceed to the second round at the FIBA Afrobasket in Kigali on Sunday.

Ligare who had been used sparingly in the first two matches exploded for 12 points while Okari contributed a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

“Coming in for this game today, we had two options, either to win or go home. We of course didn’t want to go home. I was very confident in our group and I knew we were not going to exit in the first round. I still believe we will have a great run in this tournament,” Captain Griffin Ligare said after the match.

Coach Liz Mills was full of praise of Ligare’s performance in the game.

“He was an amazing leader tonight not just in scoring but with the way he carried himself and the rest of his teammates. Attitude reflects leadership and he is one of the big reasons why we won tonight,” the Australian coach said of her captain.

She was elated at guiding Kenya to her first ever win at the Afrobasket, coming 28 years after the last participation.

“This is a historic win and I could not be more proud of this group. We had two very tough matches both of which were winnable. We regrouped and came back ready. We are all happy to get the win,” Coach Mills added.

Heading into the last match of the group phase, Morans who had lost to Ivory Coast and former champions Nigeria in their first two matches of the group needed a win to remain in the tournament and they delivered it in style, beating the West Africans.

Against the Malians, the Morans were off to a good start and led 22-18 in the first quarter. The West Africans came back stronger in the second quarter tying the scores at 11-11, but Morans still maintained their three-point lead at halftime.

The Kenyan boys were more commanding in the third quarter winning the 10-minute duel 22-16. However, they slumped in the final quarter with Mali threatening a turnaround, but the Kenyan boys just managed to hold on for the win despite a 17-21 trail in quarterly points.

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The boys will now take on South Sudan in the round of 16, a rematch of the Zone Five qualifiers final staged in Nairobi in January last year

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