KPA vow to retain title unbeaten

Champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) can win their third consecutive men’s Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) Premier League title unbeaten, according to coach Sammy Kiki.  

Kiki, a former KPA shooting guard, believes they have an upper hand to win their remaining four regular season fixtures after winning two matches in Nairobi last weekend. The six time league champions rocked hosts Equity Bank 64-52 on Saturday and again easily won 72-43 against Thunder on Sunday.

“The team chemistry is good. After tightening the defence and improving our shooting we managed to easily defeat our opponents who we thought would offer stiff competition," said Kiki of his unbeaten side.

“Retaining the league title with unbeaten run will be my pride," he added ahead of tricky matches against Ulinzi Warriors and USIU-A Tigers at KPA Makande Gymnasium this weekend.

KPA, who beat Strathmore Blades 3-1 in last year’s best- of -five play-offs final, will conclude the regular season with matches against Trailblazers in Nairobi and Kisumu-based Lakeside at Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu.

The Dockers, who have so far won all their 16 outings, are favourites to finish top in regular season and seal early qualification to the eight-team play-offs.

Blades remained in the running for the 2018 league title after registering a 52-45 victory over hosts USIU-A Tigers. Brian Onyango scored 12 points to give them a 31-21 lead at the break.

Meanwhile, KPA women’s team complicated their chances of finishing top in the regular season after they lost their second match to hosts Equity Bank, who beat them 48-42. It was KPA’s second loss this year after Storms had broken their unbeaten record.

They recovered to edge Zetech University 42-40, who gave them a run for their money before squeezing a narrow victory. Equity Bank had a successful weekend where they again rocked Kenyatta University Oryx 66-26 to harvest four key points.

Storms led by powerful forward Mercy Wanyama, who scored a game high 20 points, rocked hosts USIU-A Flames 51-34 to remain hot favourites to clinch their first ever league title this year. Storms led 21-14 at the breather and their outstanding performances this season should worry reigning champions KPA.

Lions continued with their campaign to return to the men’s Premier League next year after edging out Terrorists 57-55. Lions forward Sammy Mbande scored 20 points and Humphrey Mbande 11 in the entertaining second tier match. In their second match, Lions were again too good for Africa Nazarene University whom they beat 62-56.

Newcomers Coastal Kings garnered maximum four points from their two match outing in Nairobi. Kings defeated MKU Thika 56-50 and later beat Little Prince 48-45.

Baobab had mixed results returning home with three points from their two matches. Baobab beat Woodley Knights 60-59 before suffering a shock 52-31 loss at the hands of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

SUMMARIZED RESULTS:

KAA 59 Neosasa 41, Woodley Knights 59 Baobab 60, MKU Thika 50 Coastal Kings 56, ANU 56 Lions 62, Pirates 69 KDF Morans 49, Equity Bank 48 KPA 42, USIU-A Flames 34 Storms 51, Footprints 21 Strathmore University 60, Equity Bank 52 KPA 64, Upper Hill School 46 Blazers 53, Oryx 26 Equity Bank 66, Zetech University 40 KPA 42, Emyba 60 ANU 66, Riara University 46 KAA 49, Little Prince 45 Coastal Kings 48, JKUAT 52 Baobab 35, 4-Christ 34 Upper Hill School 47.