KPA hammer Ulinzi Warriors to take lead in basketball finals
Ulinzi Warriors guard Victor Bosire (left) is guarded by Kenya Ports Authority's Lennox Wanje during the Kenya Basketball Federation men's Premier League Finals Game Three at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on April 23, 2022.
What you need to know:
- KPA could be crowned Kenyan champions with victory in game Four on Sunday at the same venue.
Kenya Ports Authority are 40 minutes away from reclaiming the Kenya Basketball Federation men's Premier League title.
The Dockers humiliated Ulinzi Warriors 71-50 at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on Saturday to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
KPA could be crowned Kenyan champions with victory in game Four on Sunday at the same venue.
Kenya Ports Authority point Guard Lennox Wanje (second left) draws a foul in a play involving Ulinzi Warriors's James Mwangi (left) and Anthony Bwire during the Kenya Basketball Federation men's Premier League Finals Game Three at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on April 23, 2022.
The Dockers set the tone early and never looked back, putting the champions under pressure and them to turn over the ball.
Shooting guard Kennedy Wachira sank five three-pointers for KPA against an Ulinzi Warriors side that fell apart on the defensive end.
The Warriors must now craft a plan to stop the Dockers in Game Four on Sunday if they hope to push it to Game Five on Monday.
The Dockers cashed on awful misses from the Warriors to take the lead in the first quarters 20-8 with James Mwangi of Ulinzi Warriors missing vital shots.
Wachira then scored three successive three-pointers as the Dockers took the second quarter 17-10 and a commanding 37-18 lead at the break.
The Dockers claimed the third quarter 24-15, with the champions taking the last quarter 17-10 but all was in vain.
An elated KPA coach Sammy Kiki praised his charges for their hard work especially in defence but said they could have done better in their offensive game.
"The hard work we have put in training is paying back but the battle isn't over yet," said Kiki, warning his charges that the Warriors hit will back ferociously in Game Four.
"We didn't convert many chances otherwise the margin could have been bigger," explained Kiki, adding that they intend to fix that before the Sunday's game.
Ulinzi coach William Balozi was graceful in defeat, saying the Dockers had a good match and deserved to win.
"We didn't have a balanced court and our box out was awful. We allowed KPA to run the ball at will and our shots were poor," said Balozi, adding that they will want the win more in Game Four so as to level the series.
Ulinzi Warriors Coach William Balozi cuts a dejected figure on the bench during their Kenya Basketball Federation men's Premier League Finals Game Three against Kenya Ports Authority at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on April 23, 2022.
Besides Wachira, Martin Kitonga and Lennox Wanje contributed 10 and nine points respectively for the Dockers.
In Game One played on April 16, Warriors rallied to beat KPA 68-66 at Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa before the Dockers turned the tables to claim Game Two 69-58 the following day at the same venue.
The result saw the dockers level the best-of-five series at 1-1 as the two giants moved their supremacy battle to the Kenyan capital.
The Dockers are seeking to reclaim the title they last won back-to-back in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
