Natives eye maiden Kisumu County Basketball League title

Native's Denis Nyabuti (right) vies with a Kisii Vipers player during their Kisumu County Basketball League play-offs semi-final Game Two at Jomo Kenyatta Sports ground on November 3, 2018. Natives beat Vipers 3-2 in the best-of-five play-offs semi-final series to qualify for the final. PHOTO | VICTOR OTIENO |

What you need to know:

  • Natives, who finished fifth in the regular season with 25 points, secured a slot in the final following a 3-2 victory over Kisii Vipers in the best-of-five series play-offs semi-final
  • However Natives won Game Four and Five 45-40 and 76-70 respectively to proceed to the final
  • Allstars and Busia Raptors will be playing Game Two and Three of the second play-offs semi-final this weekend

Natives are optimistic of clinching this year's Kisumu County Basketball League (KCBL) title after they qualified for the play-offs final at the weekend.

This is the third time Natives are in the final and they will be hoping that luck will be on their side this time round to lift the trophy for the first time.

Andaki and Suns humbled them in the 2016 and 2017 finals respectively.

Natives, who finished fifth in the regular season with 25 points, secured a slot in the final following a 3-2 victory over Kisii Vipers in the best-of-five series play-offs semi-final.

To finish second on the standings and emerge as one of the favourites teams to win this year's title, Vipers accumulated 31 points in the regular season, just four points behind leaders Allstars.

In Game One of the best-of-five semi-finals play-off series, Natives won 77-57 before Vipers levelled by winning Game Two 69-62.

Vipers went ahead and took the lead in Game Three with a slim 55-54 victory over Chris Kinyua’s side. However Natives won Game Four and Five 45-40 and 76-70 respectively to proceed to the final.

"We have been unlucky not to clinch the title in the past but this time round we have a strong team and all our players will be around," said Kinyua.

"We have also intensified our training and we hope our chemistry will work for us on the D-day,” he added.

Natives will meet either AllStars or Busia Raptors, who finished third on the regular season with 30 points, in the final.

Allstars and Busia Raptors will be playing Game Two and Three of the second play-offs semi-final this weekend.

Allstars lead the best-of-five series after beating Raptors 77-70 in Game One.