NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 31 – Life in the topflight for Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) Premier League side Zetech University Titans has so far been a topsy-turvy one as they come in contact with more experienced opponents.
In their last match of the year, the students lost 73-59 to Equity Bank, which condemned them to yet another defeat – and a sobering reality for the Division One defending champions on the high quality in the big leagues.
Regardless, head coach Job Munene remains focused on transforming the side into one of Kenya’s top basketball sides, as far as the men’s game is concerned.
He admits that the side is in a rebuilding phase and that it will take some time before they fulfill their rich potential he sees everyday in training.
“They have done very well…we won the Division One title but now we are in a reconstruction phase where we have very young players – 18, 19 and maximum, 20-year-olds. They have come up very well although they have fallen short because they are not very experienced (to play at the top level),” Munene explains.
Having triumphed in the lower division, it was inevitable that the side would lose some of its influential players to other top sides, a factor that has further contributed to their struggles this season.
Munene concedes he has a mountainous task at hand but believes patience will be key in riding out the storm the Titans find themselves in.
“In that period, I think I lost like five players in a row. When you are restructuring, it is tedious…it is painful but you have to be patient as a coach. It is not all about quick fixes rather there is a process and you have to follow it to achieve success,” he says.
Prepping for prosperity
Munene believes the starting point of the journey to success is a holistic evaluation of oneself, the players, playing tactics as well as the training facilities to identify the areas required for improvement.
As a coach, he sees himself as an important stakeholder in not only transforming the Titans into a lethal force but also upgrading the standards of basketball in the country.
He points out that a coach can make or break the career of a young player.
“Talent can be gotten from anywhere. We cannot say that Kenya does not have talent. It is we as coaches who are responsible for nurturing talent, guiding them on the right path and teaching them to be disciplined. The rogue ones have to shape up because we have so many young talents who are not disciplined,” Munene explains.
He adds: “For Kenya to get back to the world path, we have to go back to the drawing board and assess our players, our facilities, and see how we can work together as a team to make the game better. We also need to assess ourselves as coaches and see where we need to improve.”
At Zetech, the team uses a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunity and Threats) analysis to identify areas in which they can improve.
“Through that tool…we use it every week…we are able to know our strengths, our weaknesses, the opportunities we have and the threats. So, for example, we are able to identify whether defense was our weakness and improve on it next time. This is usually a collective exercise that involves all players because that way they are able to help each other,” he says.
Thus far, Munene says they have identified team cohesion, physical fitness – especially of the younger players – and psychological preparedness as areas requiring rectification before the season resumes on January 14.
He uses the example of basketball legend Michael Jordan and his title-winning stint at Chicago Bulls to explain the importance of team unity.
“I really have to motivate each and every player because we are a team. You know, one can stand out but you want each and every person to be at the same level. For example, at Chicago Bulls, we had Michael Jordan but he wasn’t performing alone. There was also the likes of Scottie Pippen and they won the championship together. Once you motivate each one to realise their potential, they challenge and motivate one another to improve,” Munene says.
Like a patient father, Munene is not surprised that his young lads have struggled against the big boys of the league.
“For me, they fought very well (against Equity). Many of them are from high school unlike our opponents who have many national team players. You could see that they are not used to handling pressure. The good thing is I have brought in a mentor to just inspire them and they are catching on very well,” he explains.
Picking on positives
As the curtains come down on 2022, Munene is counting his blessings, among which are the Titans’ junior side.
The tactician believes the side will come good as many of its players transition into the senior ranks.
“The junior side is doing very well…they were number three in their pool. They are very amazing kids who listen intently and are passionate about sports. The good thing is that when you trust God and have a clean heart, you will go far,” Munene says.
Despite the challenges experienced thus far, the coach’s eyes remain focused on the top prize, which is to make Zetech University Titans a dominant force in basketball.
“All coaches want to win; no body prepares to lose. However, you’ll – inevitably – lose some games and win some. Just like in the NBA, when you have a lot of rookies in the team, it takes some time to get fired up. But you have to encourage your players to maximise on their strengths and work on their weaknesses,” he expounds.
Indeed, the Titans’ struggles in the top league are evidence that growth is never a painless process.
One can only hope the students will emerge a more refined side that meet their coach’s high expectations.
