Riara University promoted to KBF top tier

Riara University women's basketball team have been promoted to the National Classic basketball league top tier.

This is after they saw off Strathmore University women 3-0 in the semi finals' play-offs of the women Division one league at the Nyayo National stadium Gymnasium on Saturday.

The Shem Omuta coached side registered a narrow 44-40 in game three to make it to the finals thus booking an automatic ticket to the top league.

Riara had won game one 56-28 and game two 48-42 last weekend.

Two women's teams will be promoted to the top league next year replacing Western Delight and African Nazarene.

Riara University will now play the winner of the other semi finals pitting Kisumu Lady bucks and KPA Youth, with the Kisumu team leading 2-1 in the best of five series.

In Saturday's tie, Riara led 16-11 in the first quarter and 08-06 in the second quarter for a 24-17 half-time score with evergreen Ashley Minayo scoring a game high 18 points, while Sylvia Anyango had eight for the victors. Jackline Tineja had 12 points for Strathmore University.

"We prepared well for the playoffs and I am happy we had a clean sweep against Strathmore University and got promotion on our first attempt," Omuta, who has promised to keep the team together ahead of next season said.

His Strathmore counterpart Ronnie Owino blamed small mistakes for his team's not poor show, saying they could have done better especially in game two and three.

In Kisumu, Stephanie Tongoi scored a game high 21 points as Kisumu Lady Bucks beat KPA Youth 61-52 in game three. Game four and five are programmed for Sunday.

In the explosive men's Division one matches, University of Nairobi's Terrorists and Kenyatta University's Pirates all took an early 2-1 leads as the race for promotion to the top league intensified.

University of Nairobi beat Zetech University 58-46 to lead 2-1 after the teams tied 1-1 last weekend.