Basketball in Africa

A Premier league clash between reigning champions KCB Lions and United States International University (USIU) was abandoned in the fourth quarter after a scuffle ensued at Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium.

Lions were ahead 54-47 with 2:32 minutes left in this tie that also saw four players called for unsportsmanlike fouls and one given a technical fouls. The two whose tussle resulted in all this were Aru Ramadhan (USIU) and the lanky Anthony Were (Lions).
Henry Shihemi, the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) vice chairman and the man incharge of technical told FIBA correspondent after the final whistle that they will meet to decide on the fate of the abandoned match.
"We called off the match after it became a free for all. We will sit down as an office and make a decission." he said, adding that "there might be need for a video evidence."
Lions coach Francis Ngunjiri blamed the match referees saying. "they failed to control the game that also saw my team lose three players due to injuries inflicted by our opponents."
The unbeaten Lions, who had played 15 games winning all were up 21-18 13-9 and 15-9 in the three quarters.

In an exiting top clash involving former national champions, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) nipped Co-operative Bank of Kenya 76-73 in a lively show. The bankers were ahead in the first three quarters 16-12, 25-16, 23-16 before gloing down 19-12 in the last one.
Richard Osano scored 21 points while Boby Okwako managed 15 for Co-op. KPA, who hammered KU 105-83 the previous day, had Musa Odari nailing 20 and Mike Opel sinking another 11.
KPA had their best outing at the Nairobi West venue with a whooping 105-83 thumping of Kenyatta University "PIrates" in the mens showdown.
The match was a closely knite one and was decided by deadly marksmen from beyond the three point land by Furaha Odari and Dan Okwirri . KPA scored five in the last quarter.
With KU leading 71-69 on two foul shots by Griifin Ligare, KPA took over on a Furaha Odari three. Then in the last quarter another Furaha, Patrick Kirui free shots and another two more threes by Dan Okwirri and Odari saw KPA away 93-76.
Kirui led the rout with 16 points, Musa Odari shot 15, John Apollo made 14 and Furaha hit 11 for KPA. Ligare led point getters with 28 points and Phil Dinga scored 17 points.

Bottom placed Java Warriors lost 80-92 to International Christian Center (ICC). The victors never let go the lead as Luka Lukongo hit 27 points, Vito Khote scored 15 and Samule Kyalo hit 14. For Warriors, Dan Imbali was the toast with 24 and Ken Githinji shot 19.

Reigning champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) beat Strathmore University 49-29.The portswomen made it two wins out of two against the varsity sides after demolishing University of Nairobi "Dynamites" 63-20 the previous day.

The wins saw them leapfrog Sprite Storms to the second spot in the seven team table with 20 points from 11 ties.Strathmore trailed 4-11 in the first quarter before taking the second 12-8.

The third was a close affair with KPA having a 1-9 edge before the champions superiority showed in the last which they strongly dominated with a 20-4 difference.Everlyen Akoth led KPA with 20 points while Faith Owich was the Blades toast with 10 points.

Strathmore tactican Sylvia Njeri commended her girls for putting up a fight. "We played well in the three quarters but faltered in the last due to experience and fatigue.To me they did pretty well." she said.
Velma Juma led a KPA attack against UoN Dynamites who posted a tenth loss this season and efforts by Rose Apondi, Joyce Sala and Astabina Sichiri showed for nothing much at the end of the show.

by Dann OWERRE
FIBA.com