Top dogs lead chase for play-offs slots in basketball league
Carol Akinyi of Kenya Ports Authority dribbles the ball during their women's Premier League match against Strathmore Swords at KPA Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa on October 16, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Equity Bank, Terrorists, Thunder and Kenya Ports Authority are out to get victories that will all but ensure their place in the top eight positions to qualify for the play-offs.
- Terrorists will host KPA in a crucial second leg showdown starting at 2pm while Thunder will lock horns with bottom placed Emyba on Saturday.
Four top men's teams will intensify their hunt for a place in this year's Premier League play-offs in their respective return leg matches at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium this weekend.
Equity Bank, Terrorists, Thunder and Kenya Ports Authority are out to get victories that will all but ensure their place in the top eight positions to qualify for the play-offs.
Terrorists will host KPA in a crucial second leg showdown starting at 2pm while Thunder will lock horns with bottom placed Emyba on Saturday.
Equity Bank, who are second on the table standings with 26 points, will square it out with high-riding KPA from 4pm on Sunday.
KPA garnered maximum four points at home last weekend to move to third place with 25 points.
Coach Sammy Kiki's dockers clobbered Strathmore University Blades 63-51 and went ahead to defeat Thunder 86-70 at their backyard.
Terrorists were upset 71-56 by hosts Lakeside in Kisumu and will again need a miracle to upset KPA.
Thunder, on the other hand, will start as favourites against bottom-placed Emyba.
Equity Bank will walk a tight rope against on-form KPA in a tie they must win to maintain their second place.
Ulinzi Warriors, who have no league engagement this weekend, top the 12-team competition with 31 points from 15 wins and one loss.
Top eight teams in both men and women's categories will battle it out in the best-of-three series play-offs quarter-finals.Play-off semi-finals and finals matches will be played on best-of-five series to determine the 2021 league champions.
In the women's Premier League, coach Juma Kent's University of Nairobi's Dynamites face league leaders KPA at Nyayo on Sunday at 9am.
Equity Bank, who are second on 23 points, meet Storms.
KPA won two matches in a row at home to increase their points tally 27. KPA defeated Strathmore University Swords 60-26 before hammering Eagle Wings 65-22. Several lower national league matches are lined up in Kisii, Eldoret and Mombasa this weekend.
In Mombasa, Blazers will host Little Prince and Neosasa from Nairobi while Eldonents men and women's teams will be at home against Kenyatta University Pirates and JKUAT.
In Kakamega, bottom-placed self-supporting Western Delight will host JKUAT with Nebulas locking horns with Eastleigh-based Moi Air Base.
Fixtures
Saturday
At Nyayo: Strathmore University v KPA (10am), Umoja v Lakeside (12pm),Terrorists v KPA (2pm), Emyba v Thunder (4pm)
In Kisii: Kisii Raptors v Nakuru Club ((9am), Kisii University v MMU (10.30am)
In Eldoret: Shoot 4 Life v JKUAT (9am), Eldonets v JKUAT (10.30am), Eldonets v Pirates (12pm)
At Kakamega Police Canteen: Nebulas v MAB (9am).Mombasa: Baobab Blazers v Little Prince (9am)
Sunday
In Mombasa: Baobab Blazers v Neosasa (9am)
In Eldoret: Shoot 4 Life v MAB (8.30am), Eldonets v MMU (10am)
In Kakamega: Western Delight v JKUAT (9am), Nebulas v JKUAT (10.30am)
At Nyayo: Dynamites v KPA (9am), Blades v Lakeside (10.30am), Equity Bank v Storms (12pm), KCA-U v Emyba (2pm), Equity Bank v KPA (4pm)
