KPA escape with half basket win in basketball finals
Kenya Ports Authority men’s assistant coach Mike Opel (right) illustrates some tactics to his players at a time-out during their Premier League finals play-offs Game One against Blades at Africa Nazarene University indoor court on February 17, 2018. KPA won 51-50 to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five series. Game two is on Feb 18 at the same venue. PHOTO | KANYIRI WAHITO |
What you need to know:
- Blades rue two missed free throws at the death as KPA escape with half basket win.
- The dockers, who are the league defending champions, had to fight every inch of the way for the win which came against the run of play.
Kenya Ports Authority men narrowly won game one 51-50 as the Premier League finals play-offs got underway at Africa Nazarene University in Nairobi on Saturday.
But the dockers, who are the league defending champions, had to fight every inch of the way for the win which came against the run of play.
The finals play-offs, sponsored by marketing firm Enlightened Sports and Entertainment Network to the tune of Sh800,000, saw the students lead 11-10 in the first quarter but were behind 27-24 at half time.
The third quarter was evenly scored at 11-11 before KPA just nicked it with a 16-13 run for their half basket victory.
Blades had a chance to kill the game with four seconds left with KPA leading 51-50 but guard George Okoth missed both free throws as the buzzer went.
“We started badly despite leading by a half a basket in the first quarter but our last three minutes were superb which makes me believe we will win tomorrow," Strathmore Blades coach Tony Ochieng said.
His KPA counterpart Sammy Kiki was however not happy with his charges saying they were not at their best and didn’t play according to instructions.
Evans Leting and Moses Wanjara scored 10 and five points respectively for KPA while towering Brian Onyango had a game high 16 points for the students which included three slam dunks.
KPA women beat Equity Bank 67-57 to take the driving seat in their finals game one.
Earlier Footprints secured the National Division One title after sweeping Masaku Sparks 3-0.
Footprints comfortably won the decisive game three 60-40 at Africa Nazarene University to not only be crowned champions but also get their promotion to the Premier League.
The Juma Kent-coached Footprints led 18-11 in the first quarter.
In men’s Division One, Emyba took a 2-1 series lead against KDF Morans following their 89-85 overtime victory after the teams had tied 75-75 in regular time.
SAW OFF THE SOLDIERS
Simon Wamahiu’s 18 points and Steve Omolo’s three is all Emyba needed to see off the tough soldiers. Eric Odhiambo scored 20 points for Morans.
In Kisumu, Lakeside are one win away from lifting the 2017 men’s Division One title following their 68-50 victory over World Hope to hand them a 2-1 advantage in their best-of-five series. In fact, Lakeside are one step from making history by winning their first ever national basketball title.
World Hope won the first game 56-52 but Lakeside retaliated in the second with a 70-56 victory.
Lakeside coach George Onassis said: “We lost the last quarter because we relaxed but tomorrow we want to wrap up the game early.”
