Ulinzi Warriors storm Fiba-Africa Zone Five championship final

Kenya’s representatives Ulinzi Warriors sailed into the final of the men’s Fiba-Africa Zone Five basketball club championship qualifier after edging out tough Rwanda’s Patriot 64-62 in a tight semi-final showdown in Dar es Salaam Tanzania on Thursday night.

Ulinzi Warriors, who had finished a distant fifth in last year’s event held in Kigali, Rwanda, were due to battle it out with unbeaten rivals City Oilers of Uganda in Friday’s make or break final, which was to start at 7pm.

It’s a grudge match after City Oilers had defeated Ulinzi Warriors with a huge 38 points margin 93-55 in their Group “B” preliminary round tie.

City Oilers emerged Group “B” winners with eight points. Ulinzi Warriors, who local Premier League champions settled for the runners up position on seven points to advance to the semi-finals.

Patriot, who had topped Group “A” with eight points after winning all their four matches, pilled pressure on Ulinzi Warriors from the word go.

Ulinzi were up 33-26 at the break. Both battling teams had tied the scores 18-18 in the opening quarter and Patriot continued to threaten the Kenyan soldiers racing a 12-11 and 24-20 leads in the last two quarters.

Ulinzi were lucky to escape with a one basket win at 64-62 at the final whistle. Kenyan teams had failed to qualify for the final in the last three years.
In the second semi-final, City Oilers demolished Kenya’s USIU-A Tigers 76-34 to book a date with Ulinzi Warriors in the final.

USIU-A were pinned down from start trailing poorly 23-5 in the first quarter. Oilers, who are Uganda’s league champions, dictated terms in all the four quarters as the Kenyan varsity students showed no effort at all to recover.

USIU-A Tigers were to fight for the third position against Patriot of Rwanda in the play-off match that was scheduled for 5pm on Friday.

Kenya Ports Authority made bright their chances of winning the women’s title after registering a convincing 73-41 victory over hosts JKT Stars of Tanzania. As a result, KPA moved to the top of the seven-team table standings with nine points from four wins and one loss.

KPA’s strong challengers Uganda Christian University had their unbeaten record broken when underdogs Ubumwe of Rwanda shocked them 88-85.

UCU are locked with KPA on nine points after having won four matches and lost one. It now meant that KPA were to beat Kampala City Council Authority in their last match at all cost yesterday (Friday) to be declared the winners with 11 points.

UCU were also scheduled to end their round robin fixtures against Kenya’s USIU-A Flames and victory for them was to increase their points tally to 11.

UCU had beaten KPA 64-60 and victory against USIU-A would see them clinch the title.

USIU-A Flames chances of winning a slot for the Fiba-Africa club championship finals in Maputo, Mozambique in November went up in smoke when they lost 59-51 to Uganda’s KCCA in the must win tie on Thursday.

LOCAL SCENE

Meanwhile, on the local scene, Thunder men’s basketball team will intensify their campaign to qualify for the Premier League play-offs when they confront KCA-U in their return tie at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on Sunday.

Kenya Basketball Federation fixtures secretary Joseph Amoko said all the 12 teams which have not paid the league fees of Sh45,000 and players licenses will not be allowed to play their second leg matches this weekend.

Last weekend, Thunder beat Blades 66-58 to move to the third place with 32 points from 13 wins and six loses. They have narrow chances of making the top two teams which will automatically qualify for the semi-finals.

Coach Faustin Mgendi said Thunder are now aiming to finish third to meet the fourth rated in their fight for the remaining two semi-final slots.

Co-op Bank, who head the standings with 36 points and champions Ulinzi Warriors, have positioned themselves strategically for the semi-finals as the top two top teams. Co-op Bank have so far lost three matches and Ulinzi Warriors three.

As usual, star Griffins Ligare, Kevin Chogo and Shem Otieno are expected to shine for Thunder against coach Charles Goro’s KCA-U. Co-op Bank will start favourites against Trailblazers while Strathmore will lock horns with relegation-bound Nakuru Club.

On Saturday, relegation-threatened Western Delight will be in Nairobi to meet hosts Co-op Bank in their women’s Premier League second leg match.

Co-op Bank will need the two points to revive their hopes of qualifying for the play-offs semi-final. Western Delight are bottom with 14 pints from three wins and eight loses.

SUMMARISED ZONE FIVE QUALIFIER RESULTS:

Semi-finals-Men: Ulinzi Warriors 64 Patriot 62, USIU-A Tigers 34 City Oilers 76, Savio 61 ABC 72. Women: KPA 73 JKT Stars 41, KCCA 59 USIU-A Flames 51.

KBF LEAGUE WEEKEND FIXTURES

Saturday at Nyayo: Blazers v Egerton University (9am), Terrorists v Barclays Bank (10.30am), Strathmore University v Eldonets (12pm), Co-op Bank v Western Delight (1.30pm), KAA v Upper Hill School (3pm), KDF Morans v Egerton University (4.30pm).

Kisumu: Lakeside v JKUAT (10am). Eldoret: Eldonets v Umoja (10am).

Sunday at Nyayo: Zetech University v MKU Thika (9am), Strathmore University v Western Delight (10.30am), Oryx v Masaku Sparks (12pm), Strathmore University v Nakuru Club (1.30pm), Trailblazers v Co-op Bank (3pm), Thunder v KCA-U (4.30pm).