Ulinzi, Eldonets make statement of intent
Ulinzi Warriors' Victor Bosire shoots from the free throw line during Game One of their basketball match against Lakeside at Kenyatta Sports ground in Kisumu on October 26, 2019. Ulinzi won 80-78. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI |
What you need to know:
- Ulinzi Warriors started their campaign to recapture the league title they last won four years ago with a hard-fought 80-78 victory over well prepared hosts Lakeside in Game One at Kisumu Sports Ground on Saturday.
Former champions Ulinzi Warriors and newcomers Eldonets made bright starts in their men’s Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League play-offs quarter-finals registering victories in Game One of the best-of-three series at the weekend.
Ulinzi Warriors started their campaign to recapture the league title they last won four years ago with a hard-fought 80-78 victory over well prepared hosts Lakeside in Game One at Kisumu Sports Ground on Saturday.
Newcomers Eldonets, on the other hand, sounded an early warning in their quest to enter history books by lifting the their at first attempt. They clinched a deserved 67-53 win over second seeded Thunder at their Eldoret backyard.
Ulinzi and Eldonets will now need to win Game Two to qualify for the best-of-five series play-off semi-final on a 2-0 basis. Thunder and Lakeside are left with a tall order to avenge defeat in Game Two at all cost to lock the series 1-1 and avoid early elimination. Ulinzi and Thunder have an advantage to host their opponents in Game Two and Three at Nyayo Gymnasium.
Lakeside proved that play-offs is different competition from the regular season as they stretched league leaders Ulinzi to the limit.
Lakeside, who had sneaked into the play-offs as underdogs after they finished eighth with 30 points, worried experienced Ulinzi from start trailing with half a basket 39-40 at half-time. Having lost twice to Ulinzi in the regular season, Lakeside led by Justus Okutoyi, who scored 24 points and captain Dennis Wekesa, who contributed 12, shocked the soldiers with a 20-15 run at the end of the second quarter.
Umpire Collins Omondi ejected Lakeside superstar Okutoyi and Edgar Miheso but the unlucky home team still continued to cause havoc to the soldiers outscoring them 18-15 at end of the critical fourth quarter. Ulinzi used their experienced shooting point guards Eric Mutoro - who sunk a record 35 points and Victor Boisre, who poured in 23 points to contain their stubborn hosts.
In the men’s Division One play-offs Game One, UoN, Blazers and Barclays Bank teams went up 1-0.
