KPA, USIU to fight for Zone Five title

USIU-A’s Flames (in blue) battle with KPA in a past match. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |

What you need to know:

  • KPA were fight to secure a place in the final by when they edged out Berco Stars of Burundi 61-48 while USIU beat Uganda’s KCCA 74-48.
  • KPA continued to pile up the pressure and deservedly won their third and fourth quarters 16-14 and 19-13 respectively to sail into the final.
  • Liol Chan was USIU top scorer with 23 points and Cynthia Irankunda with 18 points. KCCA top scorers were Claire Lamunu (20) and Muhaymina Namuwaya (10).

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and United States International University (USIU) guaranteed an all-Kenya final at the Fiba Africa Zone Five Clubs Basketball Championship when they won their semi-final matches at KPA Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa on Saturday.

KPA were fight to secure a place in the final by when they edged out Berco Stars of Burundi 61-48 while USIU beat Uganda’s KCCA 74-48.

The two teams will meet at the same venue today with their places in the finals of the Africa Women Basketball Clubs Championship in Tunis, Tunisia in November already guaranteed. During the KPA versus Berco Stars match, the Burundians made a flying start and managed to take a 13-10 lead. But the home team came back into the match winning the second quarter 16-8 for a 26-21 lead at half time.

KPA continued to pile up the pressure and deservedly won their third and fourth quarters 16-14 and 19-13 respectively to sail into the final. KPA’s Brenda Ageshi was the top scorer with 19 points followed by Yvonne Akinyi who got 14 points.

Berco Stars’ Florance Kalume scored a game-high 24 points with Ines Nezerzwa adding nine more points. USIU started their match strongly taking five quick points. They led 19-11 in the first quarter and 15-11 in the second quarter to go 34-22 up at the break.

In the third quarter, USIU from Nairobi made sure they win for the final to be a Kenyan affair by winning the third quarter 20-14 and finished the last 20-12.

Liol Chan was USIU top scorer with 23 points and Cynthia Irankunda with 18 points. KCCA top scorers were Claire Lamunu (20) and Muhaymina Namuwaya (10).

KPA coach, Anthony Ojukwu said they will take today’s clash against USIU with care saying the Nairobi team was a hard-nut to crack. “Our opponents players are speedy but we’ll use our experience to turn tables against them,” said Ojukwu.

He said playing at home and with the support they expect, his players will try their best to make sure their fans return home happily. He praised USIU’s Hilda Luvanda, Cynthia Irakunda and Liol Chan for the way they performed in the championship but said they will be tightly marked on Sunday.

USIU coach, George Mayenga did not want to comment on his team’s chances against KPA but said the two teams know each other well. “I don’t want to say about the clash. Let’s finish the final,” he said.