Kenya’s women’s national 5×5 wheelchair basketball team completed a double over Liberia, this time thrashing them 65-5 to claim fifth place at the ongoing Africa Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking from the Pavilhão Multiuso de Kilamba on Wednesday after the game, head coach Sarah Libese congratulated her players but lamented earlier missed opportunities. Kenya had lost to Morocco on Tuesday, Algeria and South Africa on Monday, and host nation Angola on Sunday, but had opened the tournament strongly with an 89-2 win over Liberia on Saturday.
“The ladies are a work in progress. We are trying to integrate many talented youngsters, most of whom have never been outside the country and have no international experience,” Libese said.
“With more international games, we will achieve our goal. It’s a process with a low beginning but a higher ending,” she added.
Libese’s counterpart, Benedict Cole, praised the Kenyans for their speed, stamina, and technique. Despite his team losing all their matches in the tournament, he said his biggest lessons came from observing Kenya.
“Our federation and national team are only a year old. This is our first international outing, so I didn’t expect much from my girls, but Kenya has really taught me a lot,” Cole said.
The final women’s group standings saw Algeria (5–0) top the table, South Africa (4–1) second, Angola (3–2) third, and Morocco (2–3) fourth. These four teams advanced to the semi-finals. Kenya (1–4) finished fifth, while Liberia (0–5) ended last, exiting the tournament early.
In the men’s tournament, Kenya faced Egypt at 1:30 pm on Wednesday. The Egyptians, who had larger players, pulled away after the third quarter, handing Kenya a 48-38 loss. Despite the ten-point gap, the Kenyan team showed determination and heart.
The Kenyan men will play Liberia on Thursday at 10:00 am at the same venue to decide seventh and eighth place.
