DAVID ABDUL MUGOYE . Team: NIZWA CLUB (OMAN) . Position: 4/5

sharingSKILLS | Mugoye takes time to explain to a young "baller" how to hold the ball at the JaMalaria Camp

For David Abdul Mugoye, when it comes to basketball it's a story that originates from humble beginnings. The polite and chilled out player, who is always spotted wearing his trademark –dark blue Marvin, gets his inspiration from the love he has for the game of basketball. Mugoye's quest for supremacy in basketball started back in 1995 with the Mombasa Railways. Since then, it's been up the ladder for him, moving to Saints basketball club, Posta Kenya (1999), Telkom Kenya (2000), Barclays Eagles (2001), and Co-operative Bank (2002). In October 2002, Mugoye went to play professional basketball in Seychelles for Anse Boileau Angels, and in June 2004 he shifted to Plaisance Hawks also of Seychelles, before moving to his current team, Nizwa of Oman.

The 6'9 Mugoye, who is left-handed, is dominant within the paint at both ends of the court, destroying his opponents with his swift post moves. Mugoye's skill was further nurtured while he played for college powerhouse- Kenya Christian Industrial Training Institute KCITI Wildcats in the Universities and Colleges Basketball League UCBL. Mugoye's outstanding game saw him being called to the national team twice, and got to play against Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Seychelles.
For Mugoye, his greatest basketball achievement so far is the Championship he won on June 6 th 2005 with his club- Nizwa in Oman. “ This was the first time I was winning a National League, and it was great” he says. With Nizwa, Mugoye has risen to be one of the best players in the team, and now he is exploring the basketball of the Gulf. “ The game is okay, and more so, playing with Nizwa, who are one of the best teams in Oman has not only been great but a memorable experience” he points out. Nizwa Club, who are coached by Samer Kayali, won the Oman Basketball Association (OBA) Championship last year, and successfully defended it in June this year.

::. Opinion on Kenya Basketball

”The game is okay, there's been some slight improvement, but the players have to work out more, especially on their weaknesses and lift weights so as to make the game physical and competitive” he says. On the game within the country, Mugoye feels there's need to put in place youth programs that will act like feeders to bigger teams and especially the national team. “We need such programs especially for the national team” he says. “Make under 20 and under 15 teams so as to lay the foundation for the future of the country's basketball” he points out. Lastly, Mugoye feels that the is need for aggressive advertising and marketing of basketball locally, and also give players incentives to boost their morale.
Mugoye, whose mentor is his dad- the late Mr. Peter Okello Mugoye, has his future plans set on playing more professional basketball.

::. In the Community:
Mugoye was in attendance at the ALSA organized JaMalaria Basketball Camp | Aug 2006, as he joined other players in the fight against Malaria while sharing their basketball skills with the youth. Mugoye and his Kenyan colleagues in Oman Donated balls that were used at the JaMalaria camp

::. Ambition: Achieve all my life's goals.

::. Personal Philosophy: if you have to do something, do it well or don't do it at all.

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