Basketball in Africa

By Dann O’werre

Champions Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Lions’ sterling run in the Basketball Premier League continued when they hit Kisumu Lakeside 66-54 in a top match at Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium.
The bankers, who have had 11 matches unbeaten in their best start ever in the league in more than two decades, now have 22 points. Tobias Onyango continued to lead the team in scoring when he posted 18 points, while Yoni Wanambiro added 14.

Second Quarter
Visiting Lakeside put up a big fight, taking the second quarter 15-11, but trailed in the rest with the worst coming in the last quarter where KCB had a 20-10 edge. Joshua Charles nailed 14, while Eric Nyamai scored 11 for the losers.

In the women’s main battle, Eagle Wings hit Sprite Storms 52-45 behind 22 points from Angela Okoth and her national team-mate Caroline Achieng who scored 14. The losers, who were ahead 18-16 at half time, had 13 points from Emma Nyakweba and 11 from Linda Alando.
Bottom club Nakuru had a strong home support as they whipped Blazers 85-66 in the lower division match at the Mengai High School courts.

In the Nairobi Basketball Association league matches at Nairobi Railways Club, Kenya College of Accountancy hit Emyba 38-26, Don Bosco crushed Friends of Basketball 70-47, Trail Blazers hit Old Pirates 54-40, Baraka thumped Madison 66-47, while Mennonites beat World Hope 61-21 in a women’s game.

Meanwhile, the under-18 girls’ national team for next week’s Zone Five qualifier in Uganda received a blow when a key player, Yvonne Mashedi, withdrew.

Scholarship

Kenya Basketball Federation secretary, Vitalis Gode, told FeverPitch yesterday that Mashedi, who also turns out for Premier League side Sprite Storms, pulled out as she is pursuing a scholarship to study in the UK.

The other players yet to report to camp are Prime Minsiter’s daughter, Winnie Odinga, who is out of the country, but will join the team on Wednesday, and Kisumu-based Debrah Obunga who join the squad today.
Gode said the team would leave for Kampala by road on Sunday. The regional junior event throws off at Lugogo Indoor Stadium on Monday.

In the boys category one player is in western, two in Mombasa five in Nyanza, while seven are in Nairobi undergoing non-residential training under coach David Maina.