Hosts USIU play KPA in basketball play-off finals

USIU-A Flames will be chasing their first women’s basketball Premier League title when they host champions KPA in Game Three of the play-off final at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on Friday.

Both teams are tied 1-1 after two best-of-five series matches played in Mombasa last weekend. The result threw the 2014 title wide open.

Flames, who were top in the regular season, shocked champions and hosts KPA 56-49 in Game One at their Makande Gymnasium backyard.

KPA, who are searching for their 12th championship title, roared back strongly to beat Flames 72-59 in Game Two to lock the series 1-1.

Focus will be on Flames, who are making their third appearance in the final in a row without clinching the title.

The varsity students lost to Eagle Wings and KPA in the last two consecutive play-offs finals. Friday’s high-profile duel will start at 4pm.

Can USIU-A coach George Mayienga write history by guiding Flames to win their first league title this year?

Kenya’s national team guard Hilda Indasi, who has signed for Equity Bank for the new season, Cynthia Irankunda and forward Sarah Chan are expected to trouble the students at home.

KPA, on the other hand, had two training sessions at Nyayo Stadium in readiness for the showdown.

KPA’s long-serving coach Anthony Ojukwu said after yesterday’s training that they lost Game One (56-49) to Flames at home because most of their dependable players failed to score baskets.

Ojukwu said they have since worked on the weakness and the team his well prepared to retain the title with a 3-1 run. He said his team is well motivated to win two away matches in a row.