Tough USIU win battle of varsities

Joyce Makhungu of KPA is challenged by Linda Mfuchi of USIU in the Kenya Volleyball federation playoff match against at Nyayo Gymnasium on December 21, 2013. USIU women’s basketball team, Flames, demolished Strathmore University 82-33 to finish top in the Premier League regular season at the Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani, on November 16, 2014. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • Flames, who lost to KPA in last year’s play-off final, will open their 2014 play-offs campaign against eighth-placed Safe Spaces in the best-of-three series quarter finals which start in Nairobi on Saturday.
  • In the men’s Division One league fixtures, Barclays Bank ended the regular season with a 20-0 walk-over against Africa Nazarene University failed to show up for their match.

United States International University-Africa women’s basketball team, Flames, demolished Strathmore University 82-33 to finish top in the Premier League regular season at the Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani, on Sunday.

Flames needed just two points to complete their 22 outings to rise to the top with 43 points having won 21 matches and lost only one.

Champions Kenya Ports Authority also beat Mennonites 49-19 in their last match at Upper Hill School Sunday.

KPA, who beat Flames 71-64 in the return leg in Mombasa, finished second on 42 points after losing two matches in the regular season.

Flames, who lost to KPA in last year’s play-off final, will open their 2014 play-offs campaign against eighth-placed Safe Spaces in the best-of-three series quarter finals which start in Nairobi on Saturday.

Eight-man Safe Spaces had lost 67-41 to Storms on Saturday to finish the second leg with 31 points.

On Sunday, Flames rallied from 14-11 down in the first quarter to over turn the scores 23-8 in the second period. But Strathmore soon ran into trouble, with Hilda Indasi and Sarah Chan scoring at will.

FIFTH POSITION
After scaring off their fellow students, Flames comfortably led 34-22 at the break. Strathmore, who also advanced to the play-off quarter-finals, having wrapped their campaign after 22 fixtures in fifth position with 36 points, struggled in the last two quarters.

Flames pilled more pressure on the tired opponents to go up 29-4 and followed it up with another huge 19-7 run in the final two quarter.

Chan led Flames with game-high 20 points while Indasi added 17. Joyce Masiga replied with eight for Strathmore.

In another women’s Premier League match at Kasarani, former champions Eagle Wings completed their matches in third position with 39 points following their 72-38 win over relegated Western Delight.

Kakamega-based Delight who had been humiliated 97-22 by champions KPA on Saturday, scared Wings from start, restricting them to a narrow 25-21 half-time lead.

Wings tightened their defence to run over Delight 25-6 and 22-11 in the last two quarters.

WALK-OVER

In the men’s Division One league fixtures, Barclays Bank ended the regular season with a 20-0 walk-over against Africa Nazarene University failed to show up for their match.

The match, however, had no significance because both teams had already been bundled out of the race for the play-off quarter-finals.

On friday night, Samuel Ocholla scored 20 points while Aerial Okall added 10 to help KPA men’s team rally from behind to beat hard-fighting Kenya Airports Authority 58-51.

KAA started giving KPA a run for their money to lead in the opening two quarters 12-8 and 16-12. The dockers re-grouped and responded with scores of 26-16 and 12-7 in the last two quarters to carry the day.

KPA, with 49 points from 22 wins and five loses, will play Nakuru Club at Menengai High School tomorrow before ending the regular season against Mennonites in Nairobi on Wednesday.