Basketball in Africa

Ronnie Kasewu scored season high 24 points, picked 3 rebounds and handed out 3 helpers to lead Riham Warriors to a 66-62 win over Galaxy Falcons Friday night at the MTN Arena in Lugogo. Henry Malinga had 15 points, Ivan Enabu added 11 points as the Warriors won a third consecutive game
“Guys played as a team and were composed to earn the win” Warriors’ coach, Emmanuel Samanya said.
Warriors (7-2) edged the opening quarter 14-11 and used a strong defensive display to hold the Falcons to a season low 9 points in the second quarter as they built a double digit lead that they took into the halftime break. Falcons (5-4) rallied back in the third quarter and tied the game at 34 with 3:13 after a 14-2 run.
Trailing 42-44 going into the final frame, center Philip Ameny (11 points, 9 rebounds) tied the game at 44 with a pair of throws. Mark Opio (6 points) took Warriors back up with a close look but Steven Omony (25 points, 11 rebounds) responded from down town and added a harmer down to take Falcons up 49-46 with 7:40. “There was a lot of will to win today compared to the other games we have lost which is a positive” Falcons’ coach, Gad Eteu told Kawowo Sports.
Tied at 60 with 1:55 to the final buzzer, Opio and Kasewu pushed Warriors up 64-60 before Ameny was sent to the line to bring Falcons with-in 62-64 on a pair of throws with 26 seconds. On gaining possession, Warriors Guard, Enabu was sent to the line nailing both shots with 22 second to close the scoring on the night. “I think we gave them 3 possessions (in the waning minutes) and we made a technical error putting Peter (Elungat) on ice who has been giving us points.” Eteu added. Guard, Geoffrey Omondi (2 points, 7 rebounds & 7 assists) knows they had the game in their hands was it not for the mistakes as minutes faded out. “We made silly mistakes in the end and they punished us with their speed” he said.
Warriors’ big man, Micheal Kariuki was on the floor for the first time this season. He did not score but picked 5 rebounds and swiped 2 steals. Ronnie Kasewu had a hot shooting night from the field going 5-for-12 on 3-pointers and 4-for-5 from inside. “I have been struggling with injuries since the start of the season and I was not attending training sessions regularly but I’m getting well and been working out over the past two weeks. I am starting to get back on” he said.
Steven Omony had another game high in a losing effort for Falcons. Abdullahi Ramadhan who had averaged 22 points in the previous two games before last night’s game struggled to get his shot off. The Falcons guard went 4-for-14 from the field for 9 points.
Falcons out-rebounded Warriors 42-29 but the inability to shoot from the line was one of their biggest undoing as they shot 13-of-28 from the line.