Basketball in Africa

There were a few surprises when the final national men's and women's basketball teams to do duty at the Zone V Championships were named.
Kenya’s late departure on Saturday evening was taken in consideration by organizers when drawing the fixtures. As a result, the Kenyan teams will not be in action when the championship throws off on Sunday.
Head coaches Evelyne Kedogo and Anthony Ojukwu named their final travelling players on Friday. The ladies side had Samba Mjomba of Equity Bank and Emma Nyakweba of United States International University- Africa (USIU-A) dropped.
Both played at last year’s championship in Tanzania as well as Afrobasket in Mozambique. Assistant coach David Maina will also miss the tour owing to personal commitments.
Ulinzi’s Rebecca Sarange is the other experienced face that did not make the cut together with Co-operative Bank’s Melissa Akinyi. USIU-A's Georgina Adhiambo is the surprise inclusion thanks to her good form having helped her team win Zone V clubs title last month.
Eagle Wings has the quartet of Annerose Atieno, Debra Obunga, Evelyne Nora and Salma Akinyi. Others to represent the country at the zonal championships are Natalie Akinyi and Yvonne Akinyi (KPA), Hilda Indasi (USIU-A), Bridgit Nanzala (Ulinzi), Purity Odhiambo (UCU), Vilma Achieng (Uganda) and Linet Atieno (Co-op Bank).
Biggest casualties
In the men's side, Co-op Bank’s duo of Salim Ali and Joseph Ondinyo were the biggest casualties after failing the selection criteria. Ulinzi duo of Ancete Wafula and William Ochieng’s experience counted heavily as they earned slots in the team.
Others selected are Philip Amenyi (Uganda), Joseph Khaemba, Allan Ouma and James Mwangi (Co-op Bank), Ariel Okal and Joseph Ouma (KPA), Valentine Nyakinda (Strathmore University), Victor Odendo (Ulinzi), Yoni Wanambiro (USIU-A) and Blacio Owuor (Uganda).
The men's category will be played on a round-robin format with Egypt and Rwanda setting the abll rolling at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Hosta Uganda will play Somalia in the second game.
The women's category will be played on a home and away basis with Uganda facing Egypt in the only match on the opening day.
Players whose teams were in league action on Saturday were allowed to play.
Both Georgina Adhiambo and Yoni Wanambiro helped USIU-A register vital wins in the women's and men's premier leagues. The students fell short of reaching the century mark with a 94-13 win over Mennonite in the women's league.
Doreen Nyaga scored 17 points for USIU with Zipporah Odhiambo adding 15. The team scored 21 points from the 3-point line and 18 from the free-throw line.
On the contrary, Mennonite proved to be a weak opponent scoring fringe points in all quarters to lose 5-10, 0-21, 3-35 and 5-28 respectively. Overall, the team got the points from four baskets and five free-throws.
Mary Wangui top scored for Mennonite with four points from a basket and a free-throw while Phenny Akinyi added three free-throws.
False start
A weakened Thunder fought to the last minute before losing 68-85 to USIU-A after trailing 28-35 at halftime in men premier. Thunder had a false start after head coach Faustin Mgendi was given a technical foul by referee Joseph Amoko for his team’s late arrival earning USIU-A two free-throws.
To worsen the situation, only four players turned up for Thunder forcing Mgendi to play for the entire first half. Derick Juma scored a game high 37 points for Thunder while Abel Nson had 27 points for USIU-A that came off eight 3-point shots, a basket and a free-throw.
Nakuru Club had to sweat it out till the last minutes before beating Blazers 60-55 in a game that averaged two points for the first three quarters. Blazers led 28-24 at halftime scoring eleven free-throws and two 3-point shots in the game.
Joel Wafula scored highest for Blazers with 16 points while Nakuru scored 16 free-throws and two 3-point shots as Victor Orale top scored with 14 points.
Renson Moibi scored one 3-point shot and seven free-throws in his 16 points to lead Kenyatta University Pirates to a 63-57 win over Mennonite. Felix Odhiambo top scored for Mennonite with 14 points. Lions beat Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) 78-71.
Saturday Results: Mennonite 13 USIU Flames 94, Mennonite 57 KU Pirates 63, Blazers 55 Nakuru Club 60, Thunder 68 USIU-A 85, Lions 78 KAA 71.
National Teams to Uganda
Women: Annerose Atieno (Eagle Wings), Hilda Indasi (USIU-A), Natalie Akinyi (KPA), Bridgit Nanzala (Ulinzi), Debra Obunga (Eagle Wings), Purity Adhiambo (UCU, Uganda), Evelyne Nora (Eagle Wings), Georgina Adhiambo (USIU-A), Vilma Achieng (Uganda), Yvonne Akinyi (KPA), Linet Atieno (Co-op Bank), Salma Akinyi (Eagle Wings).
Men: Philip Amenyi (Uganda), Joseph Khaemba (Co-op Bank), Ariel Okal (KPA), James Mwangi (Co-op Bank), Valentine Nyakinda (Strathmore University), Victor Odendo, William Ochieng (Ulinzi), Allan Ouma (Co-op Bank), Joseph Ouma (KPA), Blacio Owuor (Uganda), Yoni Wanambiro (USIU-A), Ancete Wafula (Ulinzi).