KPA clear favourites as playoffs get underway

KPA men’s basketball team players led by captain Tonny Okello (centre, hoisting trophy) celebrate winning the Premier League title at Nyayo Stadium gymnasium on February 12, 2017. They beat Co-op Bank 74-67 to clinch the play-offs final series 3-1. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • The Dockers are the clear favourites having beaten the students on both legs in the regular season

  • Thunder led by experienced guard Griffins Ligare and forward Kevin Chogo have a date with Equity Bank at 4pm

  • In the men’s Division One playoffs, Barclays Bank will host Eldonets in Game One while Queens will take on Lady Bucks at Nyayo from 9am

The Kenya Basketball Federation playoffs for the top tier and lower tier leagues get underway this weekend with 24 matches on cards in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru.

After eight months of hard fought regular season, 40 out of the 58 competing teams in the five leagues (both men and women) will compete in the best-of-three series quarter finals. The top eight teams in each league earned a ticket to the playoffs.

Champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) will open their men and women’s Premier League title defence on Sunday at the Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium against United States International University-A (USIU-A) Tigers and Kenyatta University’s Oryx respectively.

Men’s champions KPA, who defeated Blades 3-1 in last year’s playoff final, will be seeking to retain the crown for the third year in a row. The Dockers are the clear favourites having beaten the students on both legs in the regular season. Sammy Kiki’s charges will enjoy home advantage with Game Two and Three set to be played at KPA Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa.

KPA women, on the other hand, will be seeking to replicate last year’s 2-0 win over Oryx at the same stage. The Kenyatta University students, who only scraped through to the playoffs by finishing seventh in the regular season, face an uphill task against Anthony Ojukwu’s charges who came second with 36 points.

Thunder led by experienced guard Griffins Ligare and forward Kevin Chogo have a date with Equity Bank at 4pm. Thunder were beaten 2-0 by Ulinzi Warriors in last year’s quarter-finals while Equity Bank were knocked out 1-3 by KPA at the same stage.

On Saturday, Ulinzi Warriors will be seeking to recapture the league title they last won in 2015 when they lock horns with Umoja in Game One. Ulinzi Warriors, led by guard Eric Mutoro, forwards William Ochieng and Ancette Wafula, were eliminated after losing 3-0 to Strathmore University’s Blades in last year’s semi-finals. 

Blades, who played in last year’s final for the first time, will continue from where they left as the confront KCA-U. Coach Tony Ochieng’ of Blades has the experienced to guide the students to the top.

In the women’s Premier League, Storms - who have been impressive this season - face a big test against Eagle Wings. Forward Mercy Wanyama and Melisa Akinyi are the players to watch for Storms, who have the capacity to write history. Eagle Wings, the 2011 and 2012 champions, have failed to reach the finals for the last four years.

In the men’s Division One playoffs, Barclays Bank will host Eldonets in Game One while Queens will take on Lady Bucks at Nyayo from 9am. In Mombasa, Baobab and Coastal Kings will host Blazers and Riara University at KPA Makande Gymnasium.

Nakuru Club, who sneaked to the playoffs, will host red-hot Emyba in Game One at Menengai High School while Kisii University will square it out with Strathmore University at the neutral Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu.

FIXTURES

SATURDAY

Nyayo Stadium: Queens v Lady Bucks (9am), Barclays Bank v Eldonets (10.30am), Storms v Eagle Wings (12pm), Blades v KCA-U (2pm), Ulinzi Warriors v Umoja (4pm).

USIU-A: Little Prince v Nebulas (9am), KAA v JKUAT (10.30am), Dynamites v JKUAT (12pm), ANU v Gladiators (1.30pm), Pirates v Zetech Titans (3pm), Zetech University v Terrorists (4.30pm).

Menengai High School-Nakuru: Nakuru Club v Emyba (10am)

Kenyatta Sports Ground - Kisumu: Kisii University v Strathmore University (11am).

KPA Makande Gymnasium: Baobab v Blazers (2pm), Riara University v Coastal Kings (4pm).

SUNDAY

Nyayo Stadium: Zetech Titans v Pirates (9am), Terrorists v Zetech University (10.30am), Kenyatta University Oryx v KPA (12pm), USIU-A Tigers v KPA (2pm), Thunder v Equity Bank (4pm).

USIU-A: JKUAT v KAA (10am), JKUAT v Dynamites (12pm), Gladiators v ANU (2pm).

Kenyatta Sports Ground-Kisumu: Strathmore University v Kisii University (10am).