Nairobi — The national men's basketball team lost 66-63 to Gabon in their second match of the FIBA Afrocan Basketball Tournament in Angola on Monday afternoon.
Morans began the game on the front foot, leading 16-15 in the first quarter before extending it to 32-27 in the second one.
However, coach Cliff Owuor's charges relaxed their feet on the pedal at the most crucial time as the West Africans turned the tide in the third quarter to lead 54-50.
The ultimate quarter was a see-saw affair as the Kenyans sought to reclaim their lead.
Griffin Ligare's two-point jump shot reduced the scores to 54-52 but the Gabonese responded in-kind on the other side of the court with a jump shot of their own courtesy of Jarode Aworet.
A bad pass from Andy Paul Darel Ndo-Mapangou allowed Ligare to steal the ball and assist Bramwel Mwombe whose jump shot made it 56-54.
With eight minutes before the buzzer, Mwombe converted one of his two free throws to bring Kenya within half a basket of their opponents but the Gabonese once again extended their lead via a jump shot by Lerry Rostand Essono Mve to make it 58-55.
He soon scored another free throw to extend the lead to 59-55 but Kenya Ports Authority's Eugene Adera offered a glimmer of hope with his layup to reduce the deficit to 59-57.
Seconds later he scored another free throw to once more put Kenya on the cusp of a comeback before another newcomer to the team, Derrick Mekenye Ogechi, scored to level the game at 59-59.
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Mve's pullup jump shot made it 61-59 before Tom Bush Wamukota brought it back level with a jump shot.
The Kenyans were undone by turnovers, with Ligare, Ogechi and Victor Onyango the main culprits as the game remained delicately poised.
Mve once again proved to his country's savior when his three-pointer finally created daylight between the two teams.
A personal foul by Adera in the last minute afforded the Gabonese some breathing space, with Gaius Mervin Mewourou M'Ella only too happy to convert both of his free throws to make it 66-61.
Adera's jump shot in the dying embers of the game was not enough for another comeback as the West Africans held on for the win.
The United States-based Ogechi was Kenya's brightest spark, topping the charts with 16 points, eight rebounds, one steal and assist.
Morans began their campaign with a 62-52 mauling of Cote d'Ivoire and are hoping to repeat the feat of 2019 when they reached the final of this continental showpiece where they lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
