Favourites eye semis as playoffs enter crucial stage

The Kenya Basketball Federation Premier, Division One and Two League playoffs quarter-finals matches will enter the second week with crucial Game Two fixtures this weekend to determine the semi-final qualifiers.

On Saturday, teams that had won their Game One matches of the best-of-three series last weekend will be battling to clinch a double and qualify for the semi-finals on a 2-0 basis while the losers will come out fighting to avenge defeat and lock the series 1-1.
A tie in Game Two will see the quarters head to the decisive Game Three on Sunday to settle on the best-of-five series semi-finalists.

Six venues; Nyayo National Stadium, KPA Makande Gymnasium, Kakamega Police Canteen, Kisumu Sports Ground, USIU-A Outdoor Courts and Eldoret will host the playoffs this weekend.

University of Nairobi’s Terror and Kenyatta University's Pirates last weekend became the first two teams the clear the quarter-final hurdle with a 2-0 victory over their opponents to sail into the men’s Division One league playoffs semi- finals. Terrorists, who had won Game One 45-36, locked out Zetech University 54-48 in Game Two on Sunday while Pirates eliminated Zetech Titans 50-37. Pirates had won Game One 50-34.

Focus will be on defending champions Kenya Ports Authority men and women, seven-time champions Ulinzi Warriors, last year’s men’s runners up Blades, Storms and Thunder who had easily won Game One matches in Nairobi last weekend. A second consecutive victory will earn them a ticket to the semi-finals on a 2-0 basis.

KPA men, who finished first in the regular season, will host USIU-A Tigers while the women’s team welcome Kenyatta University’s Oryx in return leg Game Two matches at the KPA Makande Gymnasium on Saturday.

After having won Game One 69-55 in Nairobi last weekend, KPA men’s team is well poised for a clean 2-0 sweep as they host USIU-A Tigers at 4pm. The Dockers, who are seeking to win their third league title in a row, will have forward Victor Odendo, fighter guard Victor Bosire and Martin Kitonga leading their offense.

KPA women’s team, on the other hand, whitewashed struggling Oryx 60-33 in Game One and look set for a routine win at home. Head coach Anthony Ojukwu will look up to captain Brenda Angeshi, Annerose Mandela, Yvonne Akinyi and Linet Atieno to complete the job early.

Strathmore University’s Blades lost 1-3 to KPA in last year’s playoffs final and their clean 54-34 victory over Kenya College of Accountancy-University in Game One proved that the varsity students are hungry for their first championship.

Coach Tony Ochieng’s new set of players led by Samuel Mogoko, Kennedy Develo and Fidel Okoth are raring to eliminate KCA-U 2-0. Hardworking forward Lawrence Wandera of KCA-U will require support to upset the sharp Blades.

Ulinzi Warriors, who are under pressure after failing to reach last year’s playoffs final, will take on Umoja in Game Two at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium at 2pm. Coach William Balozi was a relaxed man last weekend when Ulinzi Warriors shot down Umoja 56-34. The soldiers, who rested their entire first team in the last quarter, have an upper hand to end the series 2-0 and advance to the semi-finals.

Despite consistently featuring in the playoffs, Thunder have never won the Premier League. Their 70-59 win over Equity Bank in Game One last weekend sounded a warning that evergreen guard Griffins Ligare, towering Kevin Chogo and Nathan Terry can take them places this year. With one chance left, Equity Bank are expected to throw everything in the match through the experienced duo of Kevin Kigotho and Irungu Maina to avoid an early 0-2 embarrassment.

In the women’s Premier League playoffs, forward Mercy Wanyama, Berly Nkatha and Angela Luchivya are the stars to watch as Storms confront Eagle Wings in Game Two starting at 9am. Storms, who have had their best season ever after finishing third on the league standings on 37 points, won Game One 59-40 and are favourites to wrap the series 2-0. Veteran Rebecca Sarange, Eunice Ouma and Celia Asila of Eagle Wings have a daunting task to avoid early elimination.

USIU-A Flames, back-to-back champions in 2014 and 2015, will take on Fiba Africa Zone V Champions Equity Bank in quarter-final Game One at 10.30am. In Kisumu, Lady Bucks will host Nairobi-based Queens in their women’s Division One league playoffs quarter-final Game One at Kenyatta Sports Ground from 10am.

In the men’s Division One quarter-final, Emyba, who won Game One 75-68 in Nakuru last weekend, will host Nakuru Club in Game Two at USIU-A outdoor courts starting at 1.30pm. JKUAT play Africa Nazarene University, Coastal Kings visit Riara University while Baobab entertain hosts Blazers after winning the opener 71-64 in Mombasa.

In Kakamega, Nebulas, who were beaten 42-63 in Nairobi, will bank on home advantage to avenge the defeat when they host Little Prince in Game Two at Kakamega Police Canteen. Eldonets will host Barclays Bank in the two matches in Eldoret. The Bankers won Game One 61-53 and victory will see them proceed to the semi-finals on a 2-0 basis.

FIXTURES

SATURDAY

Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium: Eagle Wings v Storms (9am), Equity Bank v USIU-A Flames (10.30am), Strathmore University v Zetech University ( 12pm), Umoja v Ulinzi Warriors ( 2pm), KCA-U v Blades (4.30pm).

Kakamega Police Canteen: Nebulas v Little Prince ( 10am).

Eldoret: Eldonets v Barclays Bank (10am).

KPA Makande Gymnasium: KPA v Oryx (2pm), KPA v USIU-A Tigers (4pm).

SUNDAY

USIU-A Outdoor Courts: Blazers v Baobab (9am), Riara University v Coastal Kings (10.30am), JKUAT v KAA (12pm), Emyba v Nakuru Club (1.30pm), Gladiators v ANU (3pm), JKUAT v Dynamites ( 4.30pm).

Kenyatta Sports Ground: Lady Bucks v Queens (10am).

Eldoret: Eldonets v Barclays Bank (10am).

Kenyatta Sports Ground: Queens v Lady Bucks (10am).

KPA Makande Gymnasium: KPA v Oryx (2pm), USIU-A Tigers v KPA (4pm).

Nyayo: USIU-A v Equity Bank (12pm), Blades v KCA-U (1.30pm), Equity Bank v Thunder ( 3pm), Umoja v Ulinzi Warriors (4.30pm).