Ulinzi, KPA unbeaten as race approaches halfway mark

Two teams out of 52 are still unbeaten in the top-flight Kenya Basketball Federation leagues after Footprints’ six-match winning streak came to a screeching halt at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium at the weekend.

Ulinzi Warriors men and Kenya Ports Authority women, who were not in action at the weekend, remained unbeaten after first leg matches held on Sunday.

The current season got underway on March 18, with 22 clubs participating in the men and women’s top league. Another 30 teams compete in Division One and Two leagues for both men and women.

Coach William Balozi’s Ulinzi Warriors, who lost the league’s top spot to Co-op Bank at the weekend, have so far won all their eight matches. KPA women have also maintained an unbeaten run in six outings.

KPA avenged their loss to Equity Bank in last season’s play-offs final, ending the bankers’ unbeaten record 48-44 in Nairobi. Interestingly, Ulinzi Warriors and KPA relinquished the lead which they had held for the last three months in their respective leagues.

Former champions Co-op Bank hit Thunder 93-69 on Saturday. The victory took Co-op to the league summit with 17 points from eight wins and one loss. Ulinzi Warriors slipped to second with 16 points.

Reigning women’s Premier League champions Equity Bank also dislodged KPA from the first position following their hard-fought 49-45 win over newcomers Zetech University in a cracker on Sunday.

Equity Bank, who trailed 20-28 at half-time, now occupy the top position with 13 points, one a head of the dock women. Unbeaten KPA dropped to second position after garnering 12 points. Equity have won six outings and dropped one point to rivals KPA.

Footprints, coached by Juma Kent, on Saturday lost to bottom-placed Africa Nazarene University 51-45.

“We had a bad game and the running clock in the first two quarters also contributed to our poor results,’’ said coach Kent.