Race for playoffs positions intensifies

With only a week to the end of the regular season of this year’s Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League and lower tier leagues, teams will this weekend be engaged in critical second leg matches to determine their fate to qualify for their respective play-offs.

United States International University of Africa double outdoor courts, Kakamega Police Canteen, Eldoret and Nakuru’s Menengai High School, will be the venues for make-or-break return leg matches for teams seeking to finish between fifth and eighth positions to sail into the play-offs.

Top four play-off qualifiers in all five categories of the 2018 league have already been identified leaving the outcome of the last two weeks matches to decide other qualifiers. The top eight teams in each category qualify for the best-of-three series play-offs quarter finals.

On Saturday, pressure will be on Footprints, who lost 49-50 to Kenyatta University's Oryx last weekend, to upset red-hot Storms in their women’s Premier League showdown to be guaranteed eighth position to qualify. The match is among the eight do or die fixtures to be staged at USIU-A outdoor courts from 10.30am.

Footprints, who are first timers in the top competition, complicated their chances of making the top eight play-offs qualifiers after dropping vital points against Oryx. With 17 points from two victories and 13 losses, coach Juma Kent’s Footprints must now win against Storms and also beat champions Kenya Ports Authority at their backyard in Mombasa to secure the eighth position.

Coach Juma said: "We are confident of making the top eight although we are facing experienced opponents in our last two matches."

Oryx, who are set to meet hosts Western Delight in Kakamega on Sunday and former two-time champions USIU-A Flames, are also in a tight race to finish either seventh or eighth position to book a ticket to the play-offs. Oryx are placed ninth with 16 points after having won four matches and lost twice as many.

Footprints dependable players Daisy Ayodi, Celia Okumu and Raychelle Otieno must work extra hard to overcome Storms to boost their play-offs hopes. Storms, on the other hand, easily demolished Oryx 65-37 and rocked Strathmore University's Swords 55-37 last weekend to automatically secure third position with three matches left.

Led by star forward Mercy Wanyama, Berky Nkatha and evergreen Melisa Akinyi, Storms are favourites to spoil the party for Footprints. Storms have garnered 30 points from 13 wins and four losses to remain unchallenged to finish in third spot.

Equity Bank, who were recently crowned Fiba-Africa Zone Five club champions, have already finished top in the 11-team league with 39 points. The bankers, who lost the league title to KPA last year, have so far won 19 matches and lost one.

Reigning women’s league champions KPA, who will be playing hosts Western Delight away in Kakamega on Saturday, are second on the table standings with 34 points. The Dockers, have no chance to dislodge arch rivals Equity Bank from the top since they have lost two matches.

In the men’s Premier League, USIU-A Tigers face an uphill task of winning their two weekend matches to qualify for men’s Premier League play-offs. Tigers, who are placed second bottom with 21 points, are drawn against Trailblazers on Saturday and Umoja on Sunday.

Victory in the two tricky matches will push the students to eighth position on 25 points. Should Tigers lose the two crucial games, they will be relegated.

Strathmore University’s Blades, who squandered a chance to finish among top four teams after Thunder edged them 63-61 last weekend, travel to Kisumu to face Lakeside. Blades have another tough match against Equity Bank to end the regular season.

Men’s champions KPA, who have already grabbed the first position to qualify, will be away against hosts Lakeside at Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu on Saturday.

In Kakamega, hosts Nebulas will entertain JKUAT in a match they must win to be sure of finishing fifth to qualify. Nebulas have garnered 33 points from 14 wins and five loses with three matches to go.

Zetech University Titans will play their last second leg match of their men’s Division One league against bottom placed Pirates on Saturday. The students will be seeking to grab two crucial points to finish sixth to advance.

Zetech University are currently placed sixth with 29 points after having won nine matches and lost 11. Zetech University’s second team, who feature in the same competition, has powered its way to the play-offs after completing their 21 outings on top of the table standings with 35 points.

Pirates, who are fighting relegation, will play their second of the day against Emyba before locking horns with University of Nairobi’s Terrorists on Sunday.

SATURDAY FIXTURES

USIU-A: Zetech University v Pirates (9am), Storms v Footprints (10.30am), Pirates v Emyba (1.30pm), Upper Hill School v Neosasa (3pm), USIU-A Tigers v Trailblazers (4.30pm).

Menengai High School-Nakuru: Nakuru Club v Barclays Bank (9am), Egerton University v Blazers (10.30am).

Eldoret: Eldonets v ANU (9am).

Kakamega Police Canteen: Western Delight v KPA (10.30am), Nebulas v MKU Thika (12pm).

Kisii University: Kisii University v Strathmore University (9am).

Kenyatta SportsGround-Kisumu: Kisumu Lady Bucks v Egerton University (9am), Lakeside v Blades (9am).

SUNDAY FIXTURES

USIU-A: Woodley Knights v Blazers (10am), Pirates v Terrorists (12pm), Umoja v USIU-A Tigers (2pm).

Kenyatta Sports Ground-Kisumu: Lakeside v KPA (9Am).  

Menengai High School-Nakuru: Egerton University v KAA (9am).

Kakamega Police Canteen: Nebulas v JKUAT (9am), Western Delight v Kenyatta University Oryx (10.30am).

Kisii University: Kisii University v Dynamites (9am).

Eldoret: Eldonets v JKUAT (9am), Eldonets v Barclays Bank (10.30am).