KPA eye semis slot in Fiba tourney
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure James Macharia receives the Fiba Zone Five basketball title from Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) women's team captain Brenda Angeshi at Transcom House on October 13, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKNAGU |
What you need to know:
- Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) women’s basketball team coach Anthony Ojukwu is targeting a semi-final berth at next month’s FIBA Africa Champions Cup in Angola.
- The dockers successfully defended their FIBA Africa Zone Five title after defeating compatriots Equity Bank 63-49 in their final round-robin match during this year’s event held in Kampala from October 1 to 7.
- Natalie Akinyi, KPA’s point guard was voted the Most Valuable Player and Best Point Guard.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) women’s basketball team coach Anthony Ojukwu is targeting a semi-final berth at next month’s FIBA Africa Champions Cup in Angola.
The dockers successfully defended their FIBA Africa Zone Five title after defeating compatriots Equity Bank 63-49 in their final round-robin match during this year’s event held in Kampala from October 1 to 7.
Natalie Akinyi, KPA’s point guard was voted the Most Valuable Player and Best Point Guard.
The two Kenyan sides will now represent Zone Five at the continental event due November 3 to 12. And coach Ojukwu is hoping the team can go one better this year after they were eliminated at the quarterfinal stage in last year’s competition in Maputo, Mozambique.
It was the first time the team made it to the last eight of the annual tourney.
“I think we have a good squad this year that can improve on last year’s event and we are targeting to reach the last four because we have learnt from past mistakes,” the coach.
The long serving tactician is hoping to have his two key players Yolanda Ngoi and Yvonne Aknyi for the Angola trip so as to bolster his squad.
The Congo-based Ngoi is yet to be cleared by FIBA to take part in the continental events, while Akinyi only played one game in Kampala before suffering a knee injury.
“There will be top teams from across the continent and it is an added advantage to face them with all our players on board,” he added.
The team presented the Zone Five title to Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia in his offices at the Transcom House, Nairobi.
KPA Company falls under Macharia’s docket and he was instrumental in getting the team’s travel clearance to Uganda.
“You continue to dominate the sport not only in the country but also in the region and we are proud of your achievements which showcase the country as a sporting powerhouse,” the CS said.
KPA won their debut regional title in 2001, defended it the following year and won it four straight years from 2006-2009 before winning again in 2011 and 2016.
They have also won the national league title 13 times. The men’s team was placed third in Uganda.
Both sides are course to reach the play-offs in this season’s Kenya Basketball Federation league.
