17 November 2009
KENYA : Champs KCB Lions and KPA lead top guns into play off semi finals
Play offs - ALL top four finishers in the men's premier league and three in the women's category made it to the play offs semi finals following quarter final matches played at Nyayo National Stadium over the weekend.
Reigning champions KCB Lions and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), away in Benin for the Africa championships, lead others in the hunt for 2009 title begins in earnest this weekend. Co-operative Bank of Kenya and KPA men will be there too as will be Eagle Wings and Eastern Queens.
Lions beat United States International University (USIU) with a cake walk 80-58 win while Co-op shut out determined Posta 75-72 in a cracking game that would have gone either way. Both the series went 2-0 in favour of the victors.
Yoni Wanambiro got Lions of to a bright start but Tigers forced a 5-5 tie before the bankers raced away to a 18-11 quarter edge. At the break, Lions were up 30-25 and 55-41 at the end of the third quarter of this showcase that turned into a rout in the last.
Tobias Onyango scored 17 points while Victor Odendo collected 13 for the national champions. Evans Letting was the top man for USIU as the usual scorers Abel Nson, Arou Chan and Chris Mulumba were kept at close checks by KCB defense.
Posta needed to win this tie by three points to qualify and they got off well taking a 25-15 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Co-op then took the remaining three quarter and in the end won by the margin their rivals were gunning for.
Richard Osano led the way with 21 points and Patrick Odhiambo managed 19. The mailmen were pepped by Ancette Wafula who nailed 23 points and Ben Oluoch scored 14.
International Christian Center (ICC) reached the play offs quarter finals with a 98-84 win over Strathmore University. ICC who won the first leg 88-84 in over time took a 23-16 lead in the first quarter. The students closed in 43-49 at the end of the break.
After resumption, ICC raced away building a 70-50 advantage as "Blades" committed costly turn overs that did them in.But Strathmore drew close 71-77 in the third quarter before again letting go the steam after James Omune had drained a three pointer for a 80-71 cushion.
Star guard Griffin Ligare who has led the team superbly through out the year shot play offs high 30 points and Omune added another 18 for the winners, who were placed third overall. For the losers, Ken Maru battled to hit 20 and Paul Nyakinda shot 15.
In the women's ties, Eastern Queens torched Sprite Storms 63-52 to make it to easily make it to the semi finals. The winners were up 31-7 at the break and it was all over for Storms. Linda Alando made 18 points and Hilda Luvandwa added 14.
USIU Flames was the only team to lose a series but still managed to make it to the last four despite going down 42-43 to Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) University.Linda Sirma bagged 10 for the victors while Monica Odhiambo led KCA with 20 points.
Angela Okoth, back from Germany and her younger sibling Janet led Eagle Wings to a big 93-35 win over Yana. Angela shot 18 Janet had 20 while Anastasia Njeri bagged 16 in that win. Yana's Sylvia Njeri made 15. Wings completed the series 2-0.
Hilda Indasi scored 20 points, Linda Alando hit 15 and Zipporah Odhiambo managed 12 as Eastern Queens also whipped Sprite Storms 72-47. The losers though provided the top scorer in Sylvia Omollo who shot game 24 points.
In the lower division, Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) University dismissed Nakuru Club 56-43 behind Victor Okello's 14 points. Daniel Odipo scored similar number. Parklands Baptists shut out World Hope 77-72.Hillary Radcliffe was the man hitting 14 but the losers Maurice Obilo led with 26 points.
Blazers completed the other upset when beat Mennonites 63-52. Mutwiri Kiogora led the way for Blazers, who finished eighth with a strong show nailing 22 points. Steve McOdongo had 15 for a distraught "Knights" who were placed second and high hopes of progressing to the premier.
Dann OWERRE
FIBA Africa
Reigning champions KCB Lions and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), away in Benin for the Africa championships, lead others in the hunt for 2009 title begins in earnest this weekend. Co-operative Bank of Kenya and KPA men will be there too as will be Eagle Wings and Eastern Queens.
Lions beat United States International University (USIU) with a cake walk 80-58 win while Co-op shut out determined Posta 75-72 in a cracking game that would have gone either way. Both the series went 2-0 in favour of the victors.
Yoni Wanambiro got Lions of to a bright start but Tigers forced a 5-5 tie before the bankers raced away to a 18-11 quarter edge. At the break, Lions were up 30-25 and 55-41 at the end of the third quarter of this showcase that turned into a rout in the last.
Tobias Onyango scored 17 points while Victor Odendo collected 13 for the national champions. Evans Letting was the top man for USIU as the usual scorers Abel Nson, Arou Chan and Chris Mulumba were kept at close checks by KCB defense.
Posta needed to win this tie by three points to qualify and they got off well taking a 25-15 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Co-op then took the remaining three quarter and in the end won by the margin their rivals were gunning for.
Richard Osano led the way with 21 points and Patrick Odhiambo managed 19. The mailmen were pepped by Ancette Wafula who nailed 23 points and Ben Oluoch scored 14.
International Christian Center (ICC) reached the play offs quarter finals with a 98-84 win over Strathmore University. ICC who won the first leg 88-84 in over time took a 23-16 lead in the first quarter. The students closed in 43-49 at the end of the break.
After resumption, ICC raced away building a 70-50 advantage as "Blades" committed costly turn overs that did them in.But Strathmore drew close 71-77 in the third quarter before again letting go the steam after James Omune had drained a three pointer for a 80-71 cushion.
Star guard Griffin Ligare who has led the team superbly through out the year shot play offs high 30 points and Omune added another 18 for the winners, who were placed third overall. For the losers, Ken Maru battled to hit 20 and Paul Nyakinda shot 15.
In the women's ties, Eastern Queens torched Sprite Storms 63-52 to make it to easily make it to the semi finals. The winners were up 31-7 at the break and it was all over for Storms. Linda Alando made 18 points and Hilda Luvandwa added 14.
USIU Flames was the only team to lose a series but still managed to make it to the last four despite going down 42-43 to Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) University.Linda Sirma bagged 10 for the victors while Monica Odhiambo led KCA with 20 points.
Angela Okoth, back from Germany and her younger sibling Janet led Eagle Wings to a big 93-35 win over Yana. Angela shot 18 Janet had 20 while Anastasia Njeri bagged 16 in that win. Yana's Sylvia Njeri made 15. Wings completed the series 2-0.
Hilda Indasi scored 20 points, Linda Alando hit 15 and Zipporah Odhiambo managed 12 as Eastern Queens also whipped Sprite Storms 72-47. The losers though provided the top scorer in Sylvia Omollo who shot game 24 points.
In the lower division, Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) University dismissed Nakuru Club 56-43 behind Victor Okello's 14 points. Daniel Odipo scored similar number. Parklands Baptists shut out World Hope 77-72.Hillary Radcliffe was the man hitting 14 but the losers Maurice Obilo led with 26 points.
Blazers completed the other upset when beat Mennonites 63-52. Mutwiri Kiogora led the way for Blazers, who finished eighth with a strong show nailing 22 points. Steve McOdongo had 15 for a distraught "Knights" who were placed second and high hopes of progressing to the premier.
Dann OWERRE
FIBA Africa
# posted by afrbk : 15:09
