French tactician Guy Arnaud and four foreign players will spearhead Kenya Ports Authority’s campaign in the Road to Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2024 East Division, team manager Ben Okello has said.

The championship tips off in  Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Thursday with four teams KPA, Pazi (Tanzania), Dynamo (Burundi) and Elan Coton (Benin), who replaced Sebeta City of Ethiopia.

Arnaud will be charge of the technical bench while Lugman Lundy, Tyronne Jordan (America), Abdoulaye Haidara (Mali) and  Bright Akhuetie (Nigeria) expected to play key roles on the court.

“The coach is vastly experienced and has worked extensively in Europe and the Middle East,” said Okello, a former KPA and Kenya team forward.

The Frenchman, who will be assisted by Sammy Kiki and Mike Opel, is tasked with ensuring the team clinches the sole ticket to the next phase of the competition.

Okello said the national champions, who are making their third appearance in the continent’s premier club tournament, have trained well and are “ready to roll.”

The team has also brought back Kenya Morans forward Ariel Okal, who guided Burundi’s Dynamo to a national league title before returning to Mombasa.

KPA featured in BAL’s inaugural edition held in 2019 and again in 2022. The porters did well to qualify for the tournament’s Elite 16.

Okello said KPA arrived in the Tanzanian port city on Monday all set for the three-day event.

“We arrived here in Dar last evening (Monday), settled well and trained today (Tuesday) afternoon at Don Bosco grounds, Upanga,” said Okello.

Squad: Lennox Wanje, Eugene Adera, Job Byron, Philip Tobias, Gerry Wekesa, Ariel Okal, Martin Kitongo, Benjamin Muga, Bryan Sivachi, Lugman Lundy, Abdoulaye Haidara, Bright Akhuetie and Tyronne Jordan

Fixtures

October 19

Pazi BBC vs. Elan Coton

KPA vs. Dynamo

October 20 Dynamo vs. Pazi BBC

Elan Cotton vs. KPA

October 21

Pazi BBC vs. KPA

Dynamo vs. Elan Cotton.