KPA, USIU bemoan lack of mental edge for dismal FIBA outing

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and USIU women’s basketball teams have blamed inexperience and stage fright at the just concluded FIBA women’s club championships in Maputo, Mozambique.

The Dockers believe they lacked a mental edge over the relentless West African clubs who fielded their country’s national teams especially Cameroonians who are preparing for the African cup of Nations qualifiers in January.

“We started badly in our first match but picked up in our next games and finishing seventh is not that bad. We shall go back to the drawing board to make sure next time we finish in the top three”, KPA Team Coach Anthony Ojukwu said.

KPA will however take positives in the brilliant solo performances of Mercy Wanyama , Belinda Aluoch, Felmas Adhiambo and Hilda Indasi.

KPA finished seventh by outplaying Clube de desportos d’a’politecnica of Mozambique 67 – 26. Belinda Aluoch scored 8 points with one assist and two steals

The other Kenyan representative United States International University (USIU) finished ninth by defeating Etoile Filantes of Togo 62 – 61.

Coach George Mayienga said the arrival of Angela Okoth and Sarah Chan who were left behind had given the team a big boost in the later games but it was not enough to make them finish in a much more respectable position.

“This is the third straight year we have participated in these games and our rivals have proper laid out youth structures than as back home in Kenya and that’s why it’s hard for us to get the better of them”, Mayienga said.

InterClube de Luanda on Sunday outscored FIBA Africa Champions Cup Women (ACCW) 2016 hosts Ferroviario de Maputo 67-49 win to become the new continental champions.

Italee Lucas scored game-high 26 points while Sequoia Holmes and Pauline Akonga combined for 31 points to help Inter Clube win their fifth ACCW title in seven years.

Meanwhile, Anabela Cossa led the Mozambicans with 17 points.

Ferroviario, on the other hand, looked helpless despite the tireless support from a majority of a sellout crowd at Pavilaho do Maxaquene in the capital Maputo. After losing to InterClube on Day 1, the hosts finished with a 5-2 mark.

While InterClube improved their status as the most successful ACCW team with five titles, Ferroviario de Maputo failed to win their first continental trophy although they improved from their 3rd-Place accomplished last year in Luanda, Angola.

Unsurprisingly, Holmes, who was one of InterClube engines, was named the tournament MVP.

She also headlined the All-Tournament team alongside teammate Italee Lucas, Cossa, Leia Dongue (Primeiro D’Agosto) and Mireille Muganza Nyota (GS Petroliers) together with and Anabela Cossa.

In the 3rd-Place game, First Bank of Nigeria proved too much for last year’s ACCW champions D’Agosto winning 62-54.

ACCW debutant, the tournament revelation team GS Petroliers claimed the 5th-Place after beating Forces Armees et Police (FAP) of Cameroon 62-46.

The Algerian champions returned home with a 4-3 mark, while theCameroonians finished with a 3-4 record.

African Champions Cup Women 2016 final standings:

1. InterClube de Luanda (Angola)
2. Ferroviario de Maputo (Mozambique)
3. First Bank (Nigeria)
4. Primeiro D’Agosto (Angola)
5. GS Petroliers (Algeria)
6. Forces Armees et Police FAP (Cameroon)
7. Kenya Ports Authority KPA (Kenya)
8. A Politecnica (Mozambique)
9. United States International University (Kenya)
10. Etoile Filantes (Togo)