Four teams promoted to KBF Premier League
Emyba’s Eric Olum (left) shields the ball from University of Nairobi "Terrorists" Brian Owuor during Kenya Basketball Federation Men Division One Semi-finals Game-four play offs on November 25, 2018 at Nyayo National Stadium. Emyba won the series earning them a ticket to KBF Premier League. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Emyba, Eldonets promoted to men's premier league.
- Dynamites and ANU join women's top league.
- Masaku Sports and Western Delight drop to Division One.
- Strathmore University and Lions have been relegated to men’s Division Two.
Four teams have been promoted to next year’s men and women’s Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League.
Emyba and Eldonets have booked their ticket to next year’s men’s top league while University of Nairobi’s Dynamite and African Nazarene University will compete in the women’s competition. The two teams have already qualified for the 2019 KBF Premier League by the virtue of qualifying for the 2018 Division One play offs.
Top two teams in the lower league qualify for the Premier League with play offs being used to determine the division’s champions.
Eldonets will host Emyba for Game One and Two of play offs in Eldoret. Action will then shift to Nairobi for the remaining three games of the best-of-five series that kicks off on December 8. Eldoret-based Eldonets knocked out Pirates 3-0 in the semis as Emyba saw off Eugene Genga-coached University of Nairobi’s Terrorists.
KBF’s fixture secretary Joseph Amboko confirmed Trailblazers will be the only team that will be chopped from men's top league. “We had only 11 instead of 12 teams after Cooperative Bank pulled out earlier in the season,” he said.
In the women’s championship, Dynamites bundled out Ronnie Owino-coached Strathmore in the semi finals. ANU had easy time sailing into the finals after their opponents Lady Bucks from Kisumu skipped their semi final matches without giving any reason.
Dynamites and ANU will battle it out in the best-of-three series that kicks off at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasiom on Saturday. ANU will be competing in the Premier League for the first time as Dynamites make a comeback after they were relegated in 2017.
The two teams will take up slots vacated by Masaku Sports and Western Delight who dropped to Division One at the end of the regular season. Western Delight finished last with a single win, losing 18 and forfeiting one match. Masaku managed two wins, losing 17 and also forfeited one match.
Further down, Strathmore University and Lions have been relegated to men’s Division Two taking up slots left by MKU Thika and Egerton University who drop provincial league.
