Co-op Bank just too good for Strathmore

Linet Juma of Nairobi Co-operative Bank's Linet Juma spins the ball past Hazel Odhiambo of Western Delight at Kakamega during Kenya Basketball Federation women premier league. Basketball Premier League champions Co-operative Bank beat Blades of Strathmore University 72-44 in their first leg match at the Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium. PHOTO/FILE

What you need to know:

  • Blades, who had won three matches in a row, had their unbeaten record shattered in the third week of the competition in a match Co-op Bank dominated from start to finish. Impressive guard Titus Musembi sunk six of his 17 points in the first quarter with Samuel Ocholla also threatening Blades as the bankers raced a 14-11 lead.

Basketball Premier League champions Co-operative Bank beat Blades of Strathmore University 72-44 in their first leg match at the Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium.

Blades, who had won three matches in a row, had their unbeaten record shattered in the third week of the competition in a match Co-op Bank dominated from start to finish. Impressive guard Titus Musembi sunk six of his 17 points in the first quarter with Samuel Ocholla also threatening Blades as the bankers raced a 14-11 lead.

Coach Tony Ochieng’s strategy which saw Blades beat KPA 98-96 and also registered a 68-28 win over Mennonites on Saturday failed to work as Co-op Bank were unstoppable in the quarters going up (44-34) at half-time.

TWICE UNBEATEN

Co-op Bank, who had beaten Thunder (47-44) in their new season opener kept the fire burning to outscore Blades (20-9) and (20-14) in the last two quarters of the tie.

Allan Ouma fired 10 points for the winners while Peter Shilton scored 12 and Reuben Muraya (11) for the losers.

In the women’s  Premier League, Annerose Atieno scored game-high 12 points while Everline Nora added 11 to steer Eagle Wings to a 55-16 thrashing of Mennonites.

Eagle Wings, who are unbeaten from two outings, led 28-18 at half-time in a one-sided encounter in which none of the Mennonites players managed to score in double figures. Brigit Nanzala, formerly with Eagle Wings, managed game-high 21 points while Rebecca Sarange hit 13 as Ulinzi beat KCA 78-27.

The students were under pressure in the entire game going down 16-6 in the first quarter and (32-13) at the breather. Only Rebecca Nkatha managed to reply with 11 points for the losers.

Newly-promoted Equity Bank suffered their second defeat when Kenya Airports Authority demolished them 59-50 with University of Nairobi’s Terrorists battling from behind (38-25)at half-time to shock Blazers 72-67.

In Kisumu, hosts Lakeside rocked visiting Nairobi-based Zetech College 46-35 while MKU Kakamega registered a huge 99-37 win over Thika-based Baraka Xtreme in the men’s Division One championship.