12 October 2013
KENYA : High stakes at Zuku University national finals
USIU men are looking to defend their University' trophy.(Photo by Shutterspeed)
The 2013 Zuku University Basketball League comes to a thrilling end this weekend with the national finals at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Friday and Saturday.
A total of 16 teams, eight for each category, will battle it out in the two days event that will be screened live on Zuku Sports. United States International University- Africa, USIU-A, are the defending champions for both men and ladies.
This year’s league saw a new format introduced following the arrival of Zuku as the main sponsor. Four conferences were born with winners in each conference making it to the finals.
Nairobi Conference will be represented by USIU-A (both men and women), University of Nairobi, UoN, (both men and women), Technical University of Kenya, TUK, for men and Daystar University for women. Western Conference has Mount Kenya University, MKU, Nakuru for men, Maseno University main campus (both men and women), Maseno city for men, Egerton University and MKU Eldoret both in the women category.
The Central Conference will be represented by Dedan Kimathi University in both men and women categories with Technical University of Mombasa, TUM, representing the Coast Conference in both categories. USIU-A teams and UoN men’s team will be some of the top sides to watch at the finals after recording good form in the league.
Furthermore, they are members of the national basketball league thus have an experience edge over the rest. Hilda Indasi and Alvin Nyangweso, the Nairobi Conference most valuable players in the women and men leagues respectively, are the players to watch out for USIU.
MKU Nakuru is yet another team that might cause a disquiet in the men side after coming out strongly in the league. Most of their players form a bulk of the Nakuru Basketball Club that takes part in the KBF run national classic league.
Three-pointer wizard George Kiarie will be their star player as well as Western Conference most valuable player Nicholas Anyang. Most of the universities are expected to field some of the top players in the league but are students in their respective campuses.
On Friday, the teams in each category will be divided into two pools of four teams. They will play each other in a mini-tournament and the top two sides in each pool will qualify for the semifinals on Saturday.
With last year’s finalists USIU-A and UoN having qualified for the 2013 finals, there is a high possibility of a replica final this time round. During the finals held in Mombasa, USIU Tigers defeated UoN Terrorist 60-48 while USIU Flames beat UoN Dynamites 64-22.
ZUBL national finals participating teams: Nairobi Conference- USIU-A (both Men and women), UoN (both Men and Women), Technical University of Kenya (men), Daystar University (Women); Western Conference- MKU Nakuru (men), Maseno main (both men and women), Maseno city (men), Egerton University (women), MKU Eldoret (women); Central Conference- Dedan Kimathi University (both Men and Women), Coast Conference- Technical University of Mombasa (both Men and Women).
A total of 16 teams, eight for each category, will battle it out in the two days event that will be screened live on Zuku Sports. United States International University- Africa, USIU-A, are the defending champions for both men and ladies.
This year’s league saw a new format introduced following the arrival of Zuku as the main sponsor. Four conferences were born with winners in each conference making it to the finals.
Nairobi Conference will be represented by USIU-A (both men and women), University of Nairobi, UoN, (both men and women), Technical University of Kenya, TUK, for men and Daystar University for women. Western Conference has Mount Kenya University, MKU, Nakuru for men, Maseno University main campus (both men and women), Maseno city for men, Egerton University and MKU Eldoret both in the women category.
The Central Conference will be represented by Dedan Kimathi University in both men and women categories with Technical University of Mombasa, TUM, representing the Coast Conference in both categories. USIU-A teams and UoN men’s team will be some of the top sides to watch at the finals after recording good form in the league.
Furthermore, they are members of the national basketball league thus have an experience edge over the rest. Hilda Indasi and Alvin Nyangweso, the Nairobi Conference most valuable players in the women and men leagues respectively, are the players to watch out for USIU.
MKU Nakuru is yet another team that might cause a disquiet in the men side after coming out strongly in the league. Most of their players form a bulk of the Nakuru Basketball Club that takes part in the KBF run national classic league.
Three-pointer wizard George Kiarie will be their star player as well as Western Conference most valuable player Nicholas Anyang. Most of the universities are expected to field some of the top players in the league but are students in their respective campuses.
On Friday, the teams in each category will be divided into two pools of four teams. They will play each other in a mini-tournament and the top two sides in each pool will qualify for the semifinals on Saturday.
With last year’s finalists USIU-A and UoN having qualified for the 2013 finals, there is a high possibility of a replica final this time round. During the finals held in Mombasa, USIU Tigers defeated UoN Terrorist 60-48 while USIU Flames beat UoN Dynamites 64-22.
ZUBL national finals participating teams: Nairobi Conference- USIU-A (both Men and women), UoN (both Men and Women), Technical University of Kenya (men), Daystar University (Women); Western Conference- MKU Nakuru (men), Maseno main (both men and women), Maseno city (men), Egerton University (women), MKU Eldoret (women); Central Conference- Dedan Kimathi University (both Men and Women), Coast Conference- Technical University of Mombasa (both Men and Women).
# posted by afrbk : 16:50
