Basketball in Africa

Reigning national league champions Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Lions take on new comers Lomboritz as the 2009 premier league matches get underway at the Coca Cola National Stadium on April 4.

This should be an easy opener for Lions, who won their first ever back to back crown by coming from behind to dismiss rivals Co-operative Bank of Kenya in last year's fiercely contested play off finals.

The women champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) will step onto the podium on the second week as they host Strathmore University "Swords" while the men's side also take on Strathmore "Blades" in Mombasa.

There will be an eight game card in the first weekend that will see debutants Kenya College of Accountancy University and Mennonites, who were promoted from the Nairobi Basketball Association NBA) also in action.

Posta, who are returning to the top flight ball after many years, will play their first game against Kenyatta University "Pirates" on April 12. The mailmen made history by joining the elite without losing a match at the lower level.

Another new comer is Kakamega based Masinde Muliro University of Agriculture and Technology (MMUST) who qualified in Mombasa together with KCA University.

The fixtures released yesterday by Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) fixtures secretary Joseph Amoko have included university teams a move that seems to allay fears that the students will play only in their newly launched league that is on going.

KCA University will play Mennonites in a lower division tie that will also be the season opener at 10 am while Mennonites ladies will follow with a match against University of Nairobi "Dynamites" at 12 pm.

Another crunch match will pit runners up and Africa Club championships participants, Eagle Wings against Strathmore. The students have shown remarkable improvements and will not be a push over this year.

The following day, Eastern Queens, a new side that will be operating from Meru as their home team have been pitted against Yana in what should be an equally exiting tie as some of the latter players have crossed over.
Queens have recruited well and have assigned Abel Nson and Justus "Jazz" Ahkwesa as the sides tactician. They have been training and have their eyes set on nothing but the national title in their opening year.

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Jkuat) face off with Blazers in Division One match while Nairobi Pentecostal Church (NPC) meet World Hope in another game.

Fixtures April 4
KCA v Mennonites,
Mennonites v Dynamites (w),
Eagle Wings v Strathmore University,
KCB Lions v Lomboritz.

April 5:
Jkuat v Blazers,
NPC v World Hope,
Eastern Queens v Yana,
Co-operative Bank v UoN Terrorists.

April 11:
KPA v Strathmore,
KPA v Strathmore (m) in Mombasa,
Mennonites v MMUST,
ANU v Nakuru Club,
Dynamites v Storms,
KU Pirates v NSSF Stars.

April 12:
Jkaut v MMUST,
Eagle Wings v Eastern Queens,
USIU v NSSF Stars,
KU Pirates v Posta.