From the dusty courts of Eldoret to the bright lights of international arenas, the Ongwae siblings—James Ongwae Tyson, Taylor Ongwae and Stacy ‘Stenyo’ Ongwae—have dribbled their way into Kenyan basketball history.

More than just a sporting family, their journey is a tale of resilience, dominance, and a shared love for the game that has seen them shape leagues, inspire a new generation and leave an indelible mark both locally and beyond.

Their journey came to light while covering the Eldoret Basketball League (EBL), Eldoret Women’s Basketball League (EWBL), Kenya National Basketball League (KNBL), and Nairobi City Thunder’s (NCT) participation in the Road to Basketball Africa League (BAL) qualifiers at both the group stage and Elite 16 stage in Tanzania and at Nairobi’s Kasarani Basketball Court.

At some point, an almost eerie thought struck me as a member of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS)—why does the Ongwae name keep recurring in both domestic and international basketball scenes?

Much like renowned Trinidadian-born British author Shiva Naipaul’s ‘North of South: An African Journey,’ I embarked on my own basketball sojourn, from Kenya’s North Rift to Nairobi and even scanning the diaspora. What I unearthed was a trove of information — one that revealed the Ongwae family’s footprints extending beyond basketball to football, business, and academia.

In their blood

The Ongwae siblings’ basketball journey was heavily influenced by the proximity of their home to Uasin Gishu Primary School and Uasin Gishu (UG) High School, institutions equipped with modern basketball facilities.

Tyson, who stands at 6’3”, studied and played competitive basketball at Friends School Kamusinga (FSK), competing in the East Africa School Games in Uganda.

Meanwhile, Stacy, who stands at 6’0”, also credits UG’s facilities for shaping her basketball path.

“I started playing in 2000 when I was in Class 5. We lived near Uasin Gishu Primary School’s sports ground. We played basketball there until the older players would come and chase us away. That forced us to play soccer instead,” Tyson recalls.

Interestingly, their soccer skills flourished as well.

“I remember we won the Under-15 and Under-17 soccer tournaments several times,” Tyson quips.

Basketball pillars

EBL’s commissioner Moses Nyandega and finance head Kenneth Chemwok say Eldoret’s basketball story is incomplete without mentioning the Ongwae siblings.

“The respect Tyson commands among basketball players in Eldoret is immense,” Chemwok remarks.

Tyson, a shooting guard, plays for Kimumu Fun Club (FC) and was the EBL’s top scorer for the 2023–2024 season, earning a gold medal.

He also plays for Premier League side Eldonet Platinum under coach Renson Moibi.

Off the court, Tyson is a part-time lecturer at the University of Eldoret (UoE) and runs a sportswear and equipment business in Eldoret City.

“He supplies basketball equipment in Eldoret. I get all my gear from his shop, and his products are of high quality,” Chemwok notes.

The prodigal star

Taylor, 33 years old and 6’7”, plays for Kenya’s Basketball Africa League (BAL) representative team, Nairobi City Thunder.

His career spans multiple professional stints in Europe, the USA, and Ivory Coast, earning several accolades. He also represented Kenya Morans, steering the national team to a second-place finish at FIBA AfroCan in Bamako, Mali.

Securing an interview with Taylor proved difficult. When I finally reached him, he was at his pork meat business in Nairobi West.

His phone’s automated response read:”Hello! Thank you for contacting us. What would you like to buy: pork meat, juicy pork chops or pork ribs?”

Despite his business ventures, Taylor remains actively involved in basketball as a coach, something his sister Stacy attests to.

“My first coach was my brother Taylor. I mostly played basketball at the Uasin Gishu High School court since it was close to home,” Stacy recalls.

The league reviver

Stacy played a crucial role in relaunching the EWBL in 2024, after it was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019.

She was on a full basketball scholarship at Buruburu High School in Nairobi and currently plays as a power forward for Storm Trooperz Ladies in the EWBL.

“She is an influential player in the league,” Chemwok affirms.