KPA face Co-op in crunch semi-final play-off
KPA’s Brenda Angeshi (right) in action during a past match. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- In the second women’s play-offs semi-final, reigning champions USIU-A Flames will open their campaign to retain the title for the third year in a row when they take on Equity Bank in Game One in Nairobi on Saturday from at 4pm.
Kenya Ports Authority will start as favourites when they take on Co-op Bank in their Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League women’s play-off semi-final Game Three at KPA Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa Saturday at 2pm.
In the second women’s play-offs semi-final, reigning champions USIU-A Flames will open their campaign to retain the title for the third year in a row when they take on Equity Bank in Game One in Nairobi on Saturday from at 4pm.
After winning the two opening matches of their best-of-fives series in Nairobi last month, KPA need only win Game Three to clean-sweep the match-up.
Two other matches are also scheduled for the same venue tomorrow and Monday should Co-op turn around their fortune.
KPA, who recently returned from the Fiba-Africa Champions Cup for women in Maputo, Mozambique, where they finished in seventh position, rocked coach Carol Ouma’s Co-op Bank 54-49 in a tight Game One.
Co-op Bank were leading 46-45 with three minutes left before they left Felmas Adhiambo of KPA to destroy them in the dying minutes.
The dock women again registered a hard fought 55-47 victory in Game Two.
Veteran KPA coach Anthony Ojukwu and assistant Philip Onyango will no doubt bank on Adhiambo, Vyonne Akinyi, Natalie Akinyi and Brenda Angeshi, who exhibited outstanding performance in their two away matches in Nairobi.
Co-op Bank, who gave KPA a hard time in Game One, will heavily rely on towering Belinda Akoth, who played a killers role scoring 21 points, Irene Makori and Everline Itabu to fight elimination.
In Nairobi, Flames, who have won the championship for two consecutive years, had their semi-final fixtures delayed because of their participation in the Fiba-Africa Champions Cup for women in Mozambique.
They performed dismally finishing ninth in the 10-team competition.
Flames coach George Mayienga has experienced players in Georgia Adhiambo, Melisa Akinyi, Cynthia Irankunda and Doreen Nyaggah who are capable of ensuring the varsity students make a good start. Game Two is scheduled for Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium tomorrow from at 4pm.
Equity Bank, who knocked out Strathmore University 2-0 in the quarter-final, will field capable Samba Mjomba, Hilda Indasi, Mercy Wanyama and Susan Akinyi.
Flames grabbed the third position in the regular season with 31 points.
FIXTURES
Premier League women’s semi-finals play-offs:
USIU-A Flames v Equity Bank (Nyayo Stadium gymnasium, 4pm)
KPA v Co-op Bank (KPA Makande gymnasium, 2pm)
