Going gets tough for KPA teams
KPA Basketball Coach Anthony Ojukwu follows there match against Zetech University during Kenya basketball Federation women premier league play-offs game two finals on May 28, 2023 played at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) men and women’s basketball teams are on the verge of being dethroned after losing their respective Game One and Two matches at the weekend in the Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League final play-offs.
The KPA teams face an uphill task in their respective Game Three encounters against Nairobi City Thunder and Equity Hawks in the best-of-five series at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium, and Makande in Mombasa respectively this weekend.
KPA men lost 73-70 to Nairobi City Thunder on Saturday in Game One of the final play-offs, and went down 59-50 on Sunday in Game Two to the same opponents at their Makande Gymnasium backyard.
Regular season
The women’s team had not lost a single game in the regular season in the last two years. However, KPA women lost Game One 67-62 to Equity Hawks, and surrendered 66-64 in Game Two played at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium.
KPA men’s coach, Cliff Owuor, said his players must work harder if they are to win their remaining matches and retain the championship title.
“We played well, I want to say that you cannot make certain mistakes against a team like Thunder but I think my players put in a great fight. Let us wait and see what happens in Nairobi,” a dejected Owuor said on Sunday after Game Two.
KPA women’s coach Anthony Ojukwu said his players did not perform as expected on Sunday in Nairobi.
Championship titles
“We need to work hard and get out of the hole we put ourselves in and the way out is to go back to our game plan and play the way we do,” said Ojukwu.
Ojukwu who is optimistic that they will win their remaining matches in order to retain their title said that their two matches loss to Equity Hawks is part of the game.
“Being the defending champions there is pressure from all over, at the moment it is about giving the girls morale to bring out their character as champions and bring out their A-game, they have to play like champions,” said Ojukwu.
Ojukwu who has had 14 championship titles with the women side and taking charge of his 20th final this year said his aim is to ensure the girls retain their title for the third consecutive year.
Nairobi City Thunder coach Brad Ibs said he is hoping that they will win game three against KPA men in the coming weekend and clinch the title.
“We hope there is only one game, we get back to work on Tuesday, at this point you do not change a lot, you focus on execution and some small adjustments,” said Ibs.
Ibs termed their win at Makande as difficult considering that they were playing the Dockers in front of their fans but said he appreciated the atmosphere.
“I love how the fans came to support the Dockers and as an opponent it makes it a really challenging place to win. To come here and get to win two highly contested games am very happy for that,” said Ibs at the end of game two on Sunday.
Nairobi City Thunder who had a good transitional play and well-coordinated passes in game two especially in the first two quarters of the match need to win game three in the best of five final playoffs series in Nairobi to dethrone the Dockers as the reigning champions and take the title.
