KPA men and women lead the way in KBF Leagues

Tiberious Menya

Ulinzi Warriors' Tiberious Menya (left) tries to get past Africa Nazarene University's Brian Magudhi during their Kenya Basketball Federation men's Premier League match played at Ulinzi Sports Complex on July 31, 2022.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Stanbic Bank punished host Moischer Nets 71-60 in Mombasa on Saturday. The bankers again humiliated experienced Baobab Blazers 77-35 on Sunday.
  • Snipers, who changed their name from Moi Air Base, lost their unbeaten record to USIU-A, who rocked them 63-62 in a tight showdown.
  • Snipers still kept their top position intact in the men's Division One standings with 11 points from five wins and one loss.

Champions Kenya Ports Authority men and women's basketball teams top their respective Premier League table standings after they garnered maximum eight points from their four away first leg matches in Kisumu and Eldoret respectively over the weekend.

KPA harvested four points that saw them dethrone newcomers Africa Nazarene University (ANU) from top of the summit with 13 points.

The dock men, who are chasing their ninth league title having won the inaugural crown in 1987, started their tour by defeating hosts Lakeside 80-54 in Manyatta Kisumu on Saturday.

The following day, KPA traveled to Eldoret where they also demolished hosts Eldonets 72-57.

KPA, who beat Ulinzi Warriors 3-2 in the hotly contested play-offs final last year, have so far won six matches and lost once (73-63) to ANU.

"We did not struggle in the two away matches winning comfortably against our opponents to demonstrate that the team chemistry is working well between new and old players who are getting used to one another," said KPA coach Sammy Kiki.

Former champions Ulinzi Warriors made good use of their newly opened Ulinzi Sports Complex, which was hosting the league matches for the first time,  after beating ANU 66-51 on Sunday.

The win propelled them to 13 points. Ulinzi Warriors have also won six outings and lost one.

KPA are top of the table standings by virtue of having beaten Ulinzi 62-54 in first leg.

Ulinzi team manager Stephen Bartilol said: We played according to the game plan to collect two vital first leg points against the youthful good students, who started the top competition in top gear by defeating champions KPA."

ANU are placed third on the 12-team standings with 12 points from five victories and and two losses.

Shooting guard Griffins Ligare sunk 34 points to help Thunder beat coach Eugene Genga's Terrorists 73-66 on Sunday. The two crucial points moved Thunder to fourth spot on the with 10 points.

Thunder, who had lost 66-65 to to Umoja, have managed to win four matches with four loses. Zetech Titans are placed fifth after having garnered 10 points from one win and four loses.

Terrorists, Equity Bank Dumas and Eldonets are tied on nine points each, but are separated by the number of matches played in the first leg.

Lakeside and Pirates are the winless at the bottom of the league table with five and two points respectively.

Lakeside lost their fifth consecutive match after KPA demolished them 80-54, while Pirates are last with four points after having celebrated their first big 62-51 victory over strong Umoja on Sunday.

In the women's Premier League, 12-team champions KPA comfortably head the standings with 14 points after having registered seven straight victories.

The dock women destroyed Lady Bucks 75-15 in Manyatta, Kisumu on Saturday and went ahead to punish Eldonets 77-26 in Eldoret the following day.

The wins saw KPA open a four-point lead on second placed Zetech Sparks.

Zetech on 10 points are also unbeaten from five outings. Coach Juma Kent's University of Nairobi Dynamites climbed the ladder to third spot with nine points following their 56-25 victory over fellow students Kenyatta University Oryx.

Strathmore University Swords beat Eagle Wings 44-35 to occupy the fifth spot with nine points.

Strathmore University Swords' 44-33 win over Eagle Wings kept them in fifth position with seven points. Eldonets have managed seven points from one win and five loses.

In the lower tier league, newcomers Stanbic Bank maintained their top position on table standings with 18 points after winning two matches at the weekend.

Stanbic Bank punished host Moischer Nets 71-60 in Mombasa on Saturday. The bankers again humiliated experienced Baobab Blazers 77-35 on Sunday.

Snipers, who changed their name from Moi Air Base, lost their unbeaten record to USIU-A, who rocked them 63-62 in a tight showdown.

Snipers still kept their top position intact in the men's Division One standings with 11 points from five wins and one loss.