Ulinzi Warriors storm Zone Five qualifier semis in Dar

Kenya’s Ulinzi Warriors on Wednesday became the first team to qualify for men’s semi-finals of the Fiba-Africa Zone Five basketball club championship qualifiers in Dar es Salaam.

Reigning Premier League champions Ulinzi Warriors finished second in their five-team Group ‘B’ with seven points to qualify for Thursday’s semis.

They won three group matches, having lost the opener 93-55 to Uganda’s City Oilers. The soldiers clobbered hosts ABC (Tanzania) 81-71 in their last preliminary round match.

Earlier, Ulinzi had also beaten tough opponents Espoir (Rwanda) 95-71 and won 81-71 against ABC.

Kenya’s other representatives in men’s category, USIU, were poised to finish top of Group ‘A’. Last evening, USIU were set to play Rwanda’s Patriots.

USIU Tigers head Group ‘A’ standings with six points from three consecutive victories, having beaten Uganda’s UCU 81-58 and also demolished hosts Savio (Tanzania) 63-54.

In the women’s category, Kenyan champions USIU-A Flames enhanced their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals after winning all their three matches.

USIU-A Flames beat Rwanda’s champions Ubumwe 81-74, having also clobbered Don Bosco Lionesses of Tanzania 69-46 and Tanzania’s JKT Stars 68-61.

Flames now top the seven-team round robin competition with six points.

KPA women’s team are in fifth position. KPA have won two matches and lost one and were set to play Tanzania’s JKT later yesterday. Victory for KPA over JKT would revive their chances of finishing among the top four to reach the semi-finals.

Ten men and seven women’s teams are taking part in the seven-day championship to battle for the Africa club championship final tour to be held in Maputo, Mozambique in November.

RESULTS

MEN: Ulinzi Warriors 95 Espoir 71, Patriots 68 Savio 56, Ulinzi Warriors 78 ABC 71, USIU-Tigers 81 UCU 58.

WOMEN: UCU 60 KCCA 59, KPA 114 Lioness 63, JKT 48 Ubumwe 74.