Guinea secured a spot in AfroBasket 2025 by defeating Kenya 57-44, thanks to strong performances from Shannon Evans and Ousmane Drame. After a shaky start, Guinea overcame Kenya’s fightback, clinching victory with timely shooting and defensive plays.
Last Updated on
February 23, 2025
From losing all three matches in the February 2024 window, Guinea have managed to turn their campaign around, beating Kenya 57-44 in a decider Group E clash to assure themselves a place in the 2025 AfroBasket.
Led by the sensational duo of Shannon Evans and Ousmane Drame, Guinea took Kenya by surprise with a quick 15-8 opening quarter, and the East Africans had to play catch up the rest of the match.
Coach Cliff Owuor's men fought back with a decent second quarter 16-13 score before going ahead 17-14 in the third stanza to head to the final ten minutes of the game trailing by seven. Drame scored back-to-back threes in the opening two minutes of the final quarter to pull Guinea away as they avenged their loss (80-74) to Kenya in the first window, last year.
"I am proud of my team. We came here for three wins and losing with a buzzer beater yesterday was a bit disappointing. I am happy that our guys did not let that be the thing that takes us down and not have any energy going into the Kenyan game. We knew how big of a game it was for our nation and we gave it everything we had. I am proud of both teams," Drame said in his post game interviews.
Guinea shot 11 of their 28 attempts from behind the arc, these points proving crucial as Kenya managed a paltry four in as many attempts as well.
"It was not an easy game and it was not a beautiful game either as both teams were chasing qualification. Both sides started well and it was very physical. I had to talk to my players about the importance to keep the tempo and fight to the last minute. We kept it going and I think we deserve this win," coach Nedeljko Asceric said.
On his part, coach Owuor pinned Kenya's loss to failure to utilise the many scoring chances they got in the final four minutes of the match.
"We went on a four minute dry spell in the last quarter and missed chances that would have turned the game on its head. It has, however, been a competitive event and everyone has beefed up, giving us some work to do as we prepare for the next edition," Owuor offered.
[Photography/ Images courtesy of FIBA]
