KPA’s basketballers lose again in Benin

Kenya Ports Authority women’s basketball team continued their dismal performance at the 15th Africa Women Club Championships when they were hammered 74-32 by Abidjan Basketball Club (ABC) from Cote d’Ivoire in their third group A match at the Palais des Sports in Benin on Tuesday.

The dockers, who lost 47-54 to Mozambique’s A’Politecnica (not Abidjan club as reported on Wednesday) on Sunday at the same venue, had no answer for the speed and agility of Fatoumata Camara, Dianne Abbady and Salimata Berte who scored at will.

Double figures

Joyce Makhungu, who has been KPA’s mainstay at the championships, struggled to get to double figures.

Earlier against A’Politecnica in a match the Kenyans could have won, the Mozambicans, who were bruised by a huge loss to Nigeria’s First Bank Basketball Club on Saturday, picked the first three quarters by 17-14, 11-09 and 16-10 before the Kenyans tried a late rally in the fourth quarter.

Joyce Makhungu scored 16 points but that could not save her side from going down to a determined Mozambique.

The A’Politecnica trio of Ana Azinheira, Marta Ganje and Iida Chambe recorded 12, 11 points and 12 rebounds to help their side record the valuable win of the night.

Setback

In other matches, defending champion Desportivo of Mozambique rose from an initial setback to post a comfortable win over new-comers First Deepwater Club of Nigeria .

The champions, who went down 72-71 to another new-comer, Alexandria Sporting Club of Egypt, on the opening day of the competition, took the first three quarters 20-08, 15-12 and 20-12 to enter the last quarter with a 23 points lead of 55-32 points.

First Deepwater could only manage a slim 20-17 points win in the final quarter but the damage had already been done as they lost a second straight game.