16 March 2008

KENYA : St. Austin beat Jaffery’s to qualify for Nairobi final

Story by SAMMY KITULA
Publication Date: 3/16/2008

David Ogolla of St. Austin’s Academy crashed the boards hard, collecting eight rebounds and scoring 28 points to lead his team to a 82-71 win over Jaffery Academy and a place in the final of the Nairobi schools basketball league final.

In a fast-paced boys’ semi-final played on Saturday at Hope Centre in Kawangware, Ogolla scored in succession to have his team take an early lead of 8-2 after only two minutes of play.

Ogolla said he just wanted to take advantage of the smaller defenders Jaffery’s team put on him and score some easy baskets early. “The way I was going to do that was with offensive rebounding.” he said.

Kamau missed seven two-point field goals he attempted, but was 6-of-9 from 3-point range for 18 points, hitting two big shots in the fourth quarter to help Jaffery’s side tie at 63-63 in the third quarter.

Kevin Samora of St. Austin’s didn’t take his first shot until throwing up a buzzer-beating effort at the end of the first quarter. Yet he still managed to set the tone for the game thanks to his dazzling passing and scoring prowess as he grabbed 10 points in the match.

Put pressure

Kamau’s long-range shooting helped Jaffery put pressure on their opponents as they forced a 34-34 tie at half time. He sank three three-pointers, two of them within of two minutes.

Jaffery scored the first eight points of the third quarter and led 63-61 after Collins Maiteri’s fastbreak lay-up. Kamau kept Jafferys in touch a while longer by scoring his team’s next eight points, hitting two there -pointers and making two free throws after being fouled on the perimeter.

Unlike the last times these teams met, the victors remained on the offensive.

“I think tonight we did a heck of a job just getting back in transition, keeping them in front of us and keeping them off the three-point line. Although Kamau gave us trouble with his sharp shots, we are happy with our performance,” Ogolla said.

Jaffery’s head coach Gabriel Ingotsi rested Maiteri for the first four minutes of the fourth quarter and St. Austin’s went up 70-63 when Simon Oyamo hit a jumper.

Ingotsi called timeout, but continued to rest Maiteri and Jaffery Academy fell further behind when Ogolla made a pair of 3-pointers, the second giving his side a 72-65 lead with 3:04 to go. During their 4:44 scoreless stretch in the last quarter, Jaffery fell behind 80-71 after a series of St. Austin’s defensive stops and fast-breaks that left the 2006 provincial champions gasping and exasperated.

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