Co-op bank on shooting to take them to the top

Scoring machines forward Kevin Kigotho and shooting guard Titus Musembi will be seeking to steer Co-op Bank to the top of the men’s Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League table standings when the high-riding bankers entertain Thunder in Nairobi on Saturday at 4pm.

Co-op Bank, who demolished Blades 77-68 last weekend, will have to battle hard to harvest two points and dislodge Ulinzi Warriors from the league table summit.

Ulinzi Warriors, who garnered four vital points last weekend, head the 12-team competition with 16 points. Eastleigh-based Ulinzi is the only team still unbeaten from their eight first leg outings.

Two women team’s Kenya Ports Authority and Footprints, coached by Juma Kent, are also unbeaten this season.

Thunder, under long-serving coach Faustin Mgendi, are placed a distant sixth on the table standings with 11 points from four wins and three loses.

Whether the no-nonsense shooting guards Griffins Ligare, Abel Nson and Jack Agunda of Thunder will contain Co-op Bank’s basket-hungry forward Kigotho, guard Musembi and Felix Odhiambo remains to be seen.

Co-op Bank have lost only one match to Ulinzi Warriors but are remembered for having shattered reigning champions KPA’s unbeaten run at their backyard in Mombasa.

After having trounced self-supporting Lions 60-50, consistent Jeremy Opiyo, Akol Ador and Linus Kael will be the players to watch as newcomers Zetech University entertain bottom placed KCA-U.

Coach Charles Goro’s KCA-U have found the going tough losing all their seven matches.

The varsity students will need a miracle to celebrate their first win against tough Titans.

Trailblazers will again walk a tight rope against slippery newcomers Umoja. Trailblazers lost to Ulinzi Warriors 69-40. In the women’s Premier League, Co-op Bank, who carelessly threw away a 32-29 half-time lead to lose 61-55 to champs Equity Bank last weekend, have another tricky date against experienced Strathmore University coached by Ronnie Owino.

Strathmore are focused this season and victory will push them to the top position with 12 points.

Unbeaten Kenya Ports Authority are currently top of the table with 12 points while Strathmore are placed third with 10 points from four wins and two losses.

Fast fading former two-time champions USIU-A Flames take on unpredictable Eagle Wings.

Coach George Mayienga’s troubled students lost their third tie when KPA demolished them 65-32 at home last weekend. Flames had earlier been beaten 51-44 by newcomers Zetech University.

In the men’s Division One league, Upper Hill School will host Barclays Bank on Saturday, World Hope will meet ANU at the same venue as Terrorists play fellow varsity students Pirates.

At Menengai High School in Nakuru, Egerton University to host Neosasa at 9.30am before Nakuru Club entertain Kisumu-based Lakeside from 11am on Saturday.

FIXTURES

Saturday at Nyayo: Strathmore University v Zetech University (8.30am), Co-op Bank v Strathmore University (10am), Trailblazers v Umoja (11.30am), Zetech University v KCA-U (1pm), USIU-A Flames v Eagle Wings (2.30pm), Thunder v Co-op Bank (4pm). Upper Hill School: MKU Thika v JKUAT (11.30am), ANU v World Hope (1pm), Upper Hill School v Barclays Bank (2.30pm), Terrorists v Pirates (4pm). Menengai High School-Nakuru: Egerton University v Neosasa (9.30am), Nakuru Club v Lakeside (11am). Eldoret: Eldonets v Nebulas (10am).

Sunday at Nyayo: Footprints v ANU (8.30am), Neosasa v Blazers (10am), ANU v KAA (11.30am), Barclays Bank v Lakeside (1pm), Zetech University v Equity Bank (2.30pm), Blades v USIU-A Tigers (4pm).