Basketball: Ulinzi get sweet revenge against ANU in league tie

Former champions Ulinzi Warriors Sunday edged out Africa Nazarene University (ANU) 57-56 in a closely contested men’s Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League tie at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi.

It was sweet revenge for Ulinzi Warriors, who had lost 73-63 to the newly promoted ANU in the first leg.

The victory saw the soldiers move to the top of the 12-team table standings with 22 points. Ulinzi Warriors have won 10 matches and lost two.

Champions Kenya Ports Authority dropped to second spot with 21 points from 11 wins and one loss.

Man-of-the-match Stephen Simiyu hit eight points and Joseph Owino scored a three-pointer that saw Ulinzi go up 15-13 at the end of first quarter. ANU fought bravely to snatch a narrow 11-10 lead in the second quarter.The soldiers escaped with a slim 25-24 advantage at the break.

On resumption, Ulinzi Warriors overpowered ANU outscoring the varsity students 23-16 at the end of the entertaining third quarter.

ANU’s secret weapon Hawi Audi, who scored 15 points and Paul Raburu (12) hit the soldiers hard 16-9 in the last quarter. It was not enough to earn ANU victory.

Stephen Simiyu scored game-high 14 points and Joseph Owino 11 for Ulinzi Warriors.

In another men’s Premier League match at the same venue, Tonny Okol scored 14 points while Moses Alier added 18 to help Umoja rally from behind to beat Zetech Titans 48-41.

Umoja were down with 10 points 24-14 at half-time but turned the heat on Zetech in the third quarter. Okol and Alier were behind Umoja’s 22-8 lead in the third quarter and went ahead to silence the varsity students 12-9 in the fourth quarter to carry the day.

In the women’s Premier League, Storms started the second leg with a resounding 45-38 win over Kenyatta University Oryx. Oryx had made a flying start leading 29-27 at the breather. Lisa Akon scored 10 points for Oryx, who raced to a 16-12 lead in the first quarter.

In the men’s Division One league, Snipers climbed to the summit after registering a 50-24 win over Kenya College of Accountancy University. KCA-U led 29-21 at half-time.

Snipers head the competition with 22 points after having won eight matches and lost four.

Scarlet defeated TH3 Swish 46-33 in the men’s Division Two competition while Little Prince rocked JKUAT 48-43.Neosasa hammered Moi Air Base 50-45 after trailing with half a basket 25-24 at the break.

In the lower men’s Division Two, Stanbic Bank clobbered NIBS Panthers 51-40 after leading 31-18 at the breather. NIBS were cut to size from the first whistle trailing in all the four quarters.