Basketball in Africa

By Chris Musumba

Sylvia Omollo scored 12 points while Faustina Maundu added 10 as Sprite Storms opened the new season with a 58-19 win over Predators in their basketball Premier League tie at the Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.

In other matches at the same venue, Kenya College of Accountancy-University recovered to beat Kenya Polytechnic 38-26 while Umoja formerly Lomboritz rocked Kenya Polytechnic 49-30 in their men’s lower competition encounter.
After having made a good start by upsetting KCA-U 44-38 last weekend, Predators found themselves on the receiving end as Sprite Storms punished them 58-19.

Playing in their season opener, Maundu and Omollo put their act together from the go, earning Storms a 18-1 run in the first quarter.

Smart opponents

Predators responded well in the second quarter in which Joyce Alividza hit a three-pointer with Linda Kimemia also threatening their smart opponents.
Predators closed in 14-11 but failed to maintain their stimina going down 34-12 at half-time.
Perhaps still in celebration mood after last weekend’s victory, Predators posted a shocking result as Storms hit them 12-2 in the last 10-minute quarter.

None of the Predators players register a double figure.
Umoja, who have changed name from Lomboritz, garnered two opening lower competition league points when they worked hard from behind to defeat Kenya Polytechnic 49-30.

Crucial points

After finishing last in last year’s Premier League which earned them relegation, Umoja were down 19-12 at the breather.
It was Andrew Gatembo and Rodgers Magati who took charge by scoring critical three-pointers as Umoja settled down to lead 20-5 and 17-6 in the last two quarters to celebrate victory.

Magati scored 12 points, Gatembo shot 11 and Rapha Otieno hit nine for the winners.

Fellow students

KCA-U women’s side made a quick recovery to defeat their fellow students Kenya Polytechnic 38-26 in their new season second match. The students, who had crashed 44-38 to Predators, last weekend led 12-11 at half-time with Lucy Machuma contributing game-high14 points.

Kenya Polytechnic hit back with 12 points from the over-worked Naomi Kirigo.

Sunday’s fixtures: Trail Blazers v Terrorists (10am), Co-op Bank (women) v USIU-A (12pm), KCA-U v Mennonites (2pm), Co-op Bank v Tigers of the USIU-A (4pm).