League heads for the homestretch as top guns plot play-off success

There were three walker-over matches as action in the Kenyan Basketball League entered the homestretch at the weekend.

Men defending champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) who were to play their last match against Trailblazers got two free points after the latter failed to show up in a match that was to take place in Mombasa.

The dockers finished the league with 39 points only losing one match against Ulinzi in the entire league.

Women defending champions KPA also got free two points after their competitor Footprints failed to show up at Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa where the match was to take place.

In their second fixture of the weekend, KPA women hammered Masaku Sparks 90-35 at the same venue on Sunday. KPA has one fixture left against Eagle Wings whom they tackle on Friday before they begin their playoffs over the weekend where they’ll face either USIU or KU ORYX.

Meanwhile, Zetech University also got two free points after Western Delight whom they were to face at the weekend were a no-show.

At the same time, KPA men head coach Sammy Kiki has said that his boys will now shift focus to the play-offs.

“We are more than ready for the playoffs. It would have been best if Trailblazers would have showed up at the weekend since we would have used the game as a practice for playoffs,” observed Kiki.

On their playoff match next weekend against USIU who finished the league in position eight, KPA captain Samuel Ocholla said they will not underrate them, adding that they’ll need to devise a  good game plan.

“They have a good team and they always cause problems but I know with the technical bench and the players we have we will progress since our aim is to take one game on the road and kill it off,” said  Ocholla.

In  another contest of the weekend,  last season’s first runners up, Blades, of Strathmore   University, defeated Equity bank 61-54 to finish the league in position four with 32 points and will now meet KCA University who finished the league with 31 points at position five.

Blades won the first quarter 22-13, before claiming the second quarter on 18-09 score.

Equity came up stronger in the third and fourth quarters winning 17-14 and 15-07, but it could not help them secure a win.

“We improved on our execution in the first two quarters. Ken Dwallo rose to the occasion by just proving that he could point in the absence of Samuel Mogoko and Reuben Moraya,” Blades head coach Tony Ochieng told Citizen Digital in a post match reflections.

Ochieng was seconded by team’s captain George Okoth who showed his happiness winning their last match of the league.

“Winning our last game against a high profiled team is a nice way to end the regular season.” Okoth added.

In another encounter Eagle Wings defeated USIU 51-39 on Saturday as the same USIU fall 37-45 in the hands of KU ORYX on Sunday.

Weekend results…

Men Premier league

KPA 20-00 Trailblazers (Walk over)

Blades 61-54 Equity Bank

Women Premier league

KPA 20-00 Footprints (Walk over)

KPA 90-35 Masaku Sparks

Zetech 20-00 (Walk over)

Eagle Wings 51-39 USIU

KU ORYX 45-37 USIU