As we continue to break things down position by position before the KBF playoffs kick off, we take a look at Kenya’s top 10 big men in the 2021 season.
Our definition of a “big man” is a player in the power forward or center position. We couldn’t include small forwards because we would like to rank them differently from the fours and fives. Honorable mentions are Taudencia Peter and Maryanne Nyagaki who have also held their own in the league. These rankings take both performance and potential into account looking and efficiency and how well these players impact the game and help their teams. With the help of our contributors we present to you the top 10 big men in the 2021 season.
1: Christine Akinyi
Very athletic and her greatest strength shows in how she runs the floor and rebounds. She is very aggressive especially on the offensively and can do all the scrappy work to get a win. She can score the basketball and with a combination of good guards she can find more success. She is a great defender one of the few who have quick feet. Christine plays for Zetech Sparks
2: Medina Okot
Young big who is still in high school and shows great potential. She is skilled, can score, is a great rebounder and she is great defensively. Even though she is still a bit green, she is able to dominate games. Her upcoming is going to be amazing to watch.
3: Ritah Aluoch
Rita made her move from Equity to KPA during the off-season. She has great length which gives her an advantage in shot blocking and rebounding. She gives kpa that depth that they lost when Christine moved to Zetech. Ritah can also score around the basket and having her and Medina on the floor is a threat to any defence or offense.
4: Vilma Akinyi
Dominant. That’s the only way to describe Vilma. She has a good jump shot and can play defense. Vilma is already a vet and gives KPA so much depth on both ends. With the addition of Ritah and Medina, KPA now has a great front court.
5: Valerie Kemunto
Kemunto is a versatile and stretch four who can easily play as a 3. She is very aggressive on both ends and can rebound very well. Her ability to play well defensively and offensively makes her an easy fit on the block. She can alter shots and make shots, while running the floor well. She is a dependable player in her squad Zetech Sparks.
6: Silalei Shani
Playing for Eagle Wings this season, she has a great jump shot and is among the best ball handling bigs in the league. Silalei is still playing hard and giving Eagle Wings a fighting chance in the league. She can score around the basket, play defense and take on slower defenders off the dribble which makes her very lethal on offense. She can also create opportunities for her teammates and that adds to her bag of tricks.
7: Ivy Opicho
She is built for a stretch four and uses her size really well. Opicho is a good defender and she can create scoring opportunities for her teammates. She is quick on her feet, an added advantage for a big. She can easily switch playing positions. She plays for the Strathmore Swords.
8: DeeDee Were
Her post moves are solid,and she has the size needed to play on the blocks. Her finishing around the basket is good and can also play defense.
9: Shalon Gaceri
Up and coming big, Shalon, plays for UON Dynamites and is equipped with an array of post moves. This is one player to watch out for. She is coming up fast and in a year or two she will be a household name. She has the ability to create for others and is a decent shooter in her range. Gaceri can play defense and her presence in the UON paint is always felt.
10: Delima Ondidi
Delima Ondidi featuring for Storms is a player with her fundamentals right. She has a decent jump shot and great rebounding abilities. She uses her size to her advantage making her lethal as a post player. We would like to see more from her because of the potential she possesses.
Photos courtesy of Hoops Mtaani