Kenya suffered their first defeat in the women’s 3×3 basketball competition at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal.
After beating Fiji 12-09 in the first match, Kenya went down 20-15 to China in their second group match with the Kenyan quartet could not maintain their winning run against the Asian side. Earlier on, China beat Fiji 21-4.
Chelsea Onamu led Kenya’s scoring with six points, while Scholasticah Amuhaya contributed four, Brenda Ochieng added three and Vivian Moraa scored two.
Kenya will now turn their attention to the quarter-finals, with their opponents yet to be confirmed following the knockout draw.
The Kenyan girls will be hoping to bounce back as they continue their quest for a podium finish in Dakar.
In the first match, the nation made a winning start Amuhaya, Moraa, Onamu and Ochieng showing their resilience to secure the three-point victory, overcoming an initially difficult start to get their campaign off on a positive note.
Amuhaya led Kenya’s scoring with six points, while Ochieng contributed four and Onamu added one as the Kenyan girls held off Fiji to claim their first victory of the competition.
Speaking after the match, Moraa admitted that the team had struggled to execute their game plan initially but was pleased with how they rallied together to secure the win. She said the team’s spirit and motivation improved as the game progressed, giving them confidence ahead of their next assignment.
Moraa acknowledged China’s impressive opening performance, noting that Kenya would need to improve their shooting accuracy, particularly from beyond the arc, to stand a chance against the Asian side.
Despite the challenge, she believes the opening victory has given the team the confidence and motivation needed to approach their next match with renewed determination.
Kenya head coach Hilda Indasi, however, admitted that her players did not perform to their full potential against Fiji, describing their display as chaotic and below the standards they had set during preparations.
Indasi was nevertheless pleased that the team recovered towards the end to take the victory, but warned that similar mistakes could prove costly against stronger opposition.
She singled out China’s scoring threat, noting that the team has a player with experience competing at a high level who emerged as the top scorer in their opening match.
The coach challenged her players to cut down on mistakes, improve their execution and raise their performance significantly as they target another victory.
The women’s 3×3 basketball competition continues with the group-stage matches as teams battle for places in the knockout rounds scheduled for November 8.
For the Kenyan quartet, the victory over Fiji provides a confidence boost, but the encounter against China will offer a clearer measure of their medal ambitions at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games