 Good afternoon and welcome back to the program. This is Touchline on Y25. My name is Mark Selwa CK. This time we are talking about the state of basketball in the country. We focused on what happened in Rwanda, Kigari during the just concluded Afro Basketball Championship that saw Kenya. Doing very well though, unfortunately getting eliminated at the pre-quarter final stage in the hands of South Sudan. Of course, we honoured to have Kenya Moran's Power Forward Area Local also known as the Doctor. Good to see you man, long time. Thank you, sir. Kazimde we kwa mendi but we here now. Ken also joining us of course is also passionate about basketball despite his height. He decided to play football and like the other sports. Ken, why not basketball? It's not my thing. I tried it once in high school but it was just excessive. The sprints and everything, I just had to leave it. So tell us what transpired in Rwanda. How was it like man? I mean, first of all, we just have to enjoy the moment. 28 years is a long time. And as I said, we did what we were supposed to do. We went there, we competed and we represented Z55 million Kenyans on a big stage of African basketball. Everyone was tuned, people subscribed to start times up so that Kenyans were asking themselves at what time is the game even when they are in the bar catching up English Premier League football because someone wants to have a phone watching Kenya against Mali despite the fact that he's on TV catching up whichever game is it in Europe in Soka. Do you think that is the emanation of growth of basketball and the passion people are having for the sport? The last two years the game has grown. You remember when we did Uganda in the qualifiers, African qualifiers and we beat Egypt and we beat host Uganda, that time we lost to Rwanda. I think that was a time when the game was starting to become what it is right now. And gradually now we are having people subscribing to apps to watch basketball. It was not like that then so those are huge steps in regard to basketball in Kenya. Generally, Ken, you followed the proceedings? I followed the proceedings ever since they managed to qualify after 28 years. It was amazing for them and as you said, you just leave it in moments. You do your job there and you gain good experience and I'd also like to ask after 28 years you qualified and do you think for the next one you are in a better place to go in for it without any consecutive tournaments? We have really good talents coming up. I think from what we have done right now we have inspired a lot of young players who will carry the game forward. The game is in good hands so I don't think we are going to be in the dark again for 28 years. So to me with the World Cup qualifiers coming up in February we are going to play a lot of basketball and we are going to inspire a lot of young people to play basketball. So for now with the talent we have now people who are below 25, we are not I don't think we are going to be out there for 28 years again. We are going to be frequent players of the Afro Basket. So this is the start for the bright future of the game ahead? I do. It was just a stepping stone. We already set the base so now we pick it from there. The wheel is already moving right now. I was asking a friend of mine how come when you add the ball the commentator had juicy details about your personal career and you know sort of a profile most information at his fingertips. Do you at some point do you know each other? No. I didn't even know the commentators. So them worked a thing for ESPN and my sister I think they were doing commentary on my sister back then so I think they just have a thing you know with the name. The name I was using Okaal Koranga so my sister is Felmas Koranga so they know something or two about me but I never met them. They just said this guy is a hard worker and that's it. From day one to the last day they were just singing Koranga Okaal Koranga and I haven't even watched the game so I don't want if I might go and watch the games and I'll start to blast you. Restably you should get to know what really happened. How is the sister by the way? How is she faring on? She's doing amazing. She has finished her rehab. She was coming out of her knee surgery and she's getting ready for her knee season in October. You've noticed nowadays this thing is blood and family. When you start playing football the way you playing even the smaller broil play the same sport and usually when you see you have a sibling or a parent playing football or basketball or any sport the love develops and you even become better than them and look at Wanyama and his father you see to pick it up. It happens. And also this tournament for your team I think the coach was one key key thing in your qualification and in taking you through the campaign and what will you say is the best thing about her and how much has she helped Kenyan basketball and the Moran team? In terms of analytics here analysis and statistics she's a very she's very good in numbers and she's a very good statistician. So this lady can break down the game into little details and that's how we've been training it's not like the old school way of you run up and down the floor do push ups and now she breaks down the plays she shows you the spots you're supposed to be scoring from so everybody knows their job. So if I'm supposed to shoot from here I cannot shoot from this spot because probably maybe I miss 50 percent from here I'm shooting 74 from here so this is the better place to score from so this is what she's been bringing to the team making players understand their strengths and where they can be successful. So I can say in terms of analysis and statistics she's great and that's what we needed because basically Kenya we are naturally athletic we can run the whole day so you don't need to make me do those prins every single time. She received a huge praise overwhelming one following you know her accomplishments in Rwanda and even prior to that qualification journey and I think she was feted. Yeah she got the golden ball around they give to the tournaments legends and people who have made history so she got that alongside with the Tunisian player who is 42 years old and the old guy from Kodivua Konate. How does it feel considering it's a male dominated field? How does it feel? What's her mood like whenever she's with you guys? I don't think she's intimidated she's been coaching men teams for a while probably the whole of her career so I don't think she's intimidated by the presence of you know intimidated by a male dominated sport and being able to coach men because as you can see she's confident every time and she's very passionate when she's watching the game she's involved she's engaged in the game so I think she's doing just fine. Can you also say teamwork has been a key factor in terms of breakthrough for the team because when someone watches you guys they blend and you know sort of how you relating is quite professional you know the likes of Bushwamukota yourself you know people coming together. Tyler you know meeting the mother at the stadium 11 years because the mother had not watched him that was quite phenomenal. The beauty about the Kenyan morans is the kumbradu and the cohesiveness that we have those guys you know show a lot of love to each other and this is a why we actually win because we are able to pick each other up when somebody is down we are able to we have got next month mentality if we lose today tomorrow is a new team if one guy is out another guy goes in and do a fantastic job and 40 um that was emotional that was emotional I can imagine being there in his shoes at that particular moment especially to a game that we were supposed to win and then we didn't he wanted to win it for his family. Ken you must have noticed what really happened you know a mother catching up with the son because she had never gotten an opportunity to watch you play and you know in the stance it looks so beautiful but I think that's the beauty of sport that is the beauty of sport you know for something like that to happen as a parent especially you just feel super elated you know to see your son and all the bright lights making it you know being part of a team that has achieved something after 28 years you know you have to you have to enjoy that moment everyone has to feel it as a beautiful moment. So the draws for the World Cup qualifiers how do they look like? Same old giants with one underdog we are meeting Egypt and Senegal and then I think we have one more they kept right yes yeah so same old big giants and one underdog we do what we do every single time one must fall or maybe two so we know when we get there we are we excited about it it's a new challenge again we forget what we have gone you know Senegal is the only team that we have not beaten and Cape Vard we haven't played them ever so for them when we meet Cape Vard is going to be a battle of two new teams but for Senegal we have a bond to pick three of us were in studio me him and Osoro and you had lost your first game yeah the championship and I think the next game was against Mali the next game was Nigeria that game was against Mali and it was do or die because you had to beat them to ensure that you know to cement your chances of moving to the next step and as guys were sort of pessimistic because Mali also appeared a very stubborn side but what was the what did you do to ensure that you beat them in fact convincingly we had a meeting that night we had a meeting the captain grif called meeting that night and we said guys we are not ready to go home you know in the afro basket you lose the next day you're home so nobody had packed so the guys we are not ready to go home if you pack your bags you guys don't come to the game but if you're still optimistic we are winning the game tomorrow let's go there tomorrow and play like the Kenya morans and people showed up people showed up for that game we are so excited even before the game we just knew this we cannot lose to these guys yeah and the coming on board of you know newcomers those guys who are getting a place in the team for the first time yeah jailing with you know the everywhere you think it's also working for the team it's working albert uh Odero has been one of the best players in uh in the kenyan morans since uh they brought him in and we have derrick who didn't get a chance to play we also have two of our guys who didn't come they had commitments uh with their teams bungay and uh joel uh we expect to have them in the next qualifiers the world cup qualifiers if we can have all these guys together in time and we prepare well for these games i think we can surprise a lot of people can i think i wished sometimes i regret i ought to have been a sports man myself because when i was at the university grief in ligare the captain for the team right now was coaching university men's basketball team and that guy is not agi evergreen evergreen is not agi because i was asking myself one of the guys i was in school with how come this guy is you know is evergreen and his ad work is industriousness determination for the team is unmatched i think it's just the sport is a beautiful thing yeah it is you know the work you put in you know it translates in the game yeah take you you take care of your body well you know you have that drive you have that passion once you get attached to a certain type of game i don't think anything kills it and playing it you know learning more about it and hitting walls you know that gives you the drive to go forward and and also once you make it from sports you go you play under the limelights and everything and you get nicknames like the doctor and you just become a superstar some people mistake him as someone who might have pursued medicine as a cause oh a great leader griffin ligara is a great leader uh everybody listens to him everybody follows his lead i mean we love him we love him he has been amazing i hope he is not going to retire I had some rumors. We still need leadership in the team to guide the younger guys. Some people like me, we are still not there yet in terms of leadership because we focus more on other things. But for him right now is basketball and he is also a teacher so he knows how to communicate with people and how to handle situations in the team. So I hope he's going to still be around with the team for quite a while. Man you've also been instrumental in marketing the game, publicity of the game on various platforms, various forums. Even you have a website with which you highlight whatever is happening in Kenyan basketball, leagues, national team. How's it been like? It was hard at first but now I'm getting used to it. I have published a magazine. I was coming with one but I met some culprits out here. They have taken over the copies. He disappeared with the magazine but good things are still coming. The issue one is out. You can catch it from our website or our Instagram. Twitter just DM will get it to you. You mean these magazines are not sellable? We are selling them. We are selling them and we are hoping that in the near future we are going to give basketball fans more information and everything they need about basketball. Basketball is also entertainment. It's not just a sport that people want to come and it's entertainment, it's business. Basketball, it's a lifestyle. That's why we normally say ball is life. You agree? Yeah, you agree. Ball is life. And also I think when people are growing, when you go through high schools in Kenyan, you have the high school games. Especially the period between 2008 and 2018, there were some really big names in high schools. There were some really good players but not all of them managed to make them runs or keep on playing basketball. They sort of disappeared there in the middle and they were really good. Why do you think that happens and how many have you seen that have kept playing the game since high school all the way up to the highest level? Let me start with the ones who stopped. I think it's because we haven't professionalized the game and when you don't professionalize the game, people tend to go and hustle somewhere else because the game is not paying them well enough to sustain a living. So you find guys are getting jobs outside, guys are doing business and they stop playing. Because the game is not putting food on your table so basically you won't play it. But for those who have proceeded, most of them are those who got scholarships overseas and those who have managed to join clubs overseas. And basically hard workers like me who just, we don't know basketball, we just work hard. Like Christian or not? We don't know the game. We just work hard and people like it and they give you a job out there and you just play for their teams because you bring the energy. So it's really hard here in Kenya to survive as a basketball player. Our league is not sponsored. So you can see how hard that is. If there is no money, people will not play the game as serious as it should be. So that's the biggest problem that we have right now because I think if you walk around Nairobi you'll find a lot of basketball courts. Regardless if it's indoor or outdoor, you'll find a lot of courts and kids are playing the game. But after high school, now life is starting, you're going to college after college, you have to get a job. If the game is not going to pay, you stop. So that has been our biggest cancer in the game. William Musina, promising footballer also watching the show from Longata, is asking how can he get that t-shirt you are wearing? Because it looks beautiful. Available in our website. This one is 1400 shillings. 1400? Even cheaper than the jazz you guys buy for a football instead of promoting local game. And you said the book also it can be found on the website. 700 can be found on the website. Talk to us about the future now, what holds for the game in the future and what the locals called as KBF. And doing to ensure that the game continue getting to another level because it's progressing and we have to maintain the momentum. At the moment, the best thing that has happened to African basketball is NBA and FIBA have come together to bring us the basketball Africa League. This is a stage where players can go and showcase their talent and actually get picked to play in the NBA. Egypt did it with Anas Mahmud. He played for Zamalik. And after the tournament he went non-drafted to Toronto Raptors. So now he is no longer with Zamalik, he is a Toronto player. That's a life changing deal. So I think for Kenyan clubs, KPA did what they did. We didn't get to ball because of logistics. But if we could have gone to the BAL, I think some of the players like 6 or 7 because we did have a good number of players, could have made it outside. So for now, I think KBF should... Do you think that was quite unfortunate? Yeah, it broke my heart. Me too. It broke my heart, broke a lot of people's heart. A lot of players left the team because of that situation. Because that was prestigious and very lucrative opportunity for players to... If you look at... These guys made around 5,000 to 7,000 for 16 days just to be in the bubble in Kigali. That's something that you can do something with it when you come home for 16 days. There's a bunch of money. And there are other contracts that could have come. So BAL is huge. Players should know now that they have a place. You can look at BAL, you can look at Europe, you can look at NBA. So you don't have to just sit there and say, I want to go to the NBA, but it's hard. Now you have BAL, and you have Europe, and you have the NBA. You have stages that you can take. A shorter... It looks like... It's long, but that's a shortcut to market yourself to get there. So the future is bright. You have seen the NBA and FIBA doing a camp in... Yes, they are national football. Yes, there are things like that coming to Kenya right now. These are the things that are making basketball great. So the younger talents should believe that the future is going to be bright. Keep working hard and focus. I believe we are going to have better players in the future than we have now. But I think we can all agree that basketball was a reputable sport in the country some time back. FIBA is being done right now, is restoration of the lost glory. Because the sport was so huge, was so massive and it was so popular amongst Kenyans. To an extent that nowadays, that's also what I was asking. It's very unfortunate that basketball is no longer on TV. Because of the passion people have for the sport. It's so unfortunate that they are doing that to basketball right now. TV coverage also helps in identifying the talents. You never know who is watching. So if they can get coverage no matter which level they play at. Because when you look at where people want to play the scholarships they get to go to the U.S. When you play college basketball or high school basketball in the U.S., everyone in the world can watch it. Even in high school. It's tough unless someone volunteers with them. It's tough. Sister plays basketball in the U.S. Is it attributed to the scholarship? Yes, she is on a full athletic scholarship since three years ago. She started at Tyler Junior College on another athletic scholarship. Then she transferred to Troy University. And she's been making a team of her consistently. My sister is a hard worker. She's a better version of me. She's a hard worker, a better version of who I am. I can say she was blessed with very good genes. So being there she's just dominating year in, year out. This is her last year. She's a senior now. And we are hoping that she can get drafted in the WNBA. She has a chance. She's playing good basketball. And her academics are also good. So I don't think that anything is standing in her way other than herself. So she has a chance to make Kenya proud again. We're talking about Filmas Koran. She's been making Kenya proud appearing on magazines making a team of the season at Troy University in the league. That is a good thing because she will be an opener to opportunities for others to travel abroad. It's already happening. We already have three girls who have already traveled. One went three days ago. So the coaches want to know if there's a Kenyan playing like this. Yes, there are others in Kenya. They're asking where can we get other players like you who can come and make an impact in our teams. So we have more players going. We have more players going to the states right now to play basketball on academic scholarships. That is commendable. So personally, you've much traveled. You've asked several parts of yourself playing basketball in Oman. 16 countries bro. And luckily you get hampered by COVID. Yeah, every time I go somewhere COVID. The last two years I go somewhere COVID happens. So I have to come back home again, stay for a while. Then I go somewhere else COVID, home. So I'm a journey man. How did it happen in Oman? First I only played I think for games in Oman. I also played four in Algeria. So in Oman I get there, I quarantine first for eight days. I'm quarantined. The qualifiers in Cameroon were in two days after my quarantine. So after the quarantine immediately, another flight. I checked out. Come back in after seven days another quarantine. Seven more days. Namaliza, the season starts. Four games in. They tell me the government said we cannot play. So you have to go home. When the season resumes, you'll come back. So they're resuming October 8th. I'll be there on the 24th. But I'm going straight to Abu Dhabi for the tournament. Then after that, I go to Oman and finish the season. I followed the games. You missed the first game but you made the team during the third three matches. You made the team. How is it like in Oman in comparison of basketball there and what is happening locally? This is going to be my fifth season there. Because I've played for, yeah, it's my second home. I've played there for three teams. Sidab, Ali Sidab, Bashair. The one I'm playing for now. And I played for Dofar. I think the facilities, this is where the distance is. Because every club is a franchise. So every club has their own sports facility. Football, basketball, handball, volleyball. There's no sharing. And they're being supported by the government. For us in basketball, if we are traveling, the federation is paying everything. So we don't pay a cent. We don't pay food, we don't pay the tickets, the air tickets, we don't pay anything. We just show up. We show up, we play, we go back home. And they pay for like 15 players, the coaches, the doctors. The federation is paying for everything. So you can see the government there is very supportive. And there is also that thing, the ministry club. The ministry club in Oman is where you finish the league. And then immediately after four months, you play in a tournament like games where they put a bunch of money. So if you keep on winning the ministry club, your club keeps on getting more money. Better players and they keep on building new infrastructure for the game. So you don't need to depend also on the government handouts to survive. So you can see, man. That is something that Kenya should emulate. It's crazy. Instead of giving the money directly because you know someone might do things, put a tournament and put a bunch of money. Let people compete for it. That's what we normally do in Oman. And you know there are huge bonuses for that. The bonus must be like half of your season of money. So you can do a thing or two with that. Do you think that is something that can also be practically possible back home in Kenya? Yeah, it can be. In case it's tried and tested. Yeah, it can be and it can work. But those who will be putting the money, they need to understand the amounts required to actually boost these teams because the country plays in it already somewhere. But for Kenya, if the tournament was like that, was to happen the teams are at a really low level and are mostly financially really unstable. So the amounts of money being put in must be something to really build this club. So that they also give them more heart to go for a huge amount to actually win. That the money put in should match the drive and the passion of the teams. Generally, is it possible for me to qualify for World Cup? World Cup, it's possible. It's possible? Yeah, I win at a time. You know, it's possible. I've seen even football in Kenya. The Arambistas are doing things. Two draws, don't worry about it. You know. The same way, as Morans, few individuals had written us off. Yeah, after the two losses. We've been closer to 30 years without making it to the showpiece. And then we lost to Senegal, Angola. Then we beat Mozambique. Then they say, oh, maybe they have a chance. Then we came back to, we went to come a rune, lost to Senegal. Everybody gave up because they knew Angola was tough. Yes. Six times champions? Eleven. Eleven times champions. Yeah, Angola are eleven times champions. And players that we played with in that game had like nine championships, six, seven. So when we beat them, people were like, wow. So I think anything is possible. Basketball is funny. Sometimes it depends on how you wake up. We can just wake up today and shoot the lights out. If somebody shoots it, it goes in. And the opponent is missing. You are losing that. You cannot win that game. So that you might wake up on the wrong foot and surprise somebody, drop Egypt, drop Senegal, boom. We are in the Philippines for the World Cup. So after the tournament of Afro Basketball Championship, guys have left for their respective clubs. People have already gone. We are back in Denmark. Ronnie went to the States. He is flying to Spain, I think in two days. He got a new club. Albert is flying back to the States. Buzza is already in Tanzania headed to Kigali back to his club. Everybody is gone right now. Yo, he is no longer playing at home? No, Buzza plays for Tigers in Kigali Rwanda. Wow. It's been an amazing interview. Of course, this particular afternoon with the doctor himself, Heryo Lokal Kenyamurant, power forward. Joining us to share his insights with regards to Afro Basketball Championship Transpair in Kigali. Ken, your last question before we leave this wakaholic man. Last question will be, will you say qualifying for the Afro Basket was the greatest moment of your basketball career? No. I think winning a championship still is up there. I won my first championship with KPA. And at that time, my mom was in the ICU. So that still remains up there as something that I worked hard for. I worked so hard for it. I finished the game with so many bruises. We played with Lindsey. Those guys were tough. And at that age? I was really young. And then I was the MVP of the tournament. So I always put that up there. And then Afro Basket, I think, comes there second. You have batting shots? Well, I don't know what to say really, but I can say the game has grown. Kenyans now love basketball. This is something that people couldn't see coming. So it's here, it's now. Let's go and get that World Cup spot. Wow. And you can follow him as he shares basketball information regarding Kenyans, even Kenyans leagues, to you trying to market and publicize the game at the doctor on Tweet of Kozari Local. And even the website, that is the name. Yeah, thedoctorsreport.co.ke. Wow. Thank you for coming to the room and thank you for sharing that develop information with us. It's been a pleasure having you. Good afternoon. Don't go away. Stay tuned. Of course, for those who are passionate about European football, the fan favorite segment, the fans are coming up where we look at the European leagues and what has been trending. Thank you for staying tuned and don't go away.