Defending champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) men and women’s teams led the big guns in sealing their spots in the semi-finals of the Kenya Basketball Federation play-offs at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium over the weekend.
KPA men will meet Thunder in Game One and Two of the semi-final away at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Game Three, Four and Five incase of a tie will be played at KPA Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa from May 27. Ulinzi Warriors will take on rivals Equity Dumas in Game One on Friday at Nyayo from 8pm with Game Two slated for Saturday at the same time.
KPA women are drawn against Strathmthore University Swords with Game One and Two scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Nyayo.
Action will shift to Mombasa for the remaining three matches of the best-of-five series to KPA Makande Gymnasium from May 27. Equity Hawks will lock horns with Zetech Sparks in their semi-final with Game One set for Friday at 6pm. Game Two will be held on Sunday at the same time.
All the eight teams had an easy run in play-offs quarterfinals eliminating their opponents after registering two straight victories.
KPA men and women’s teams were the first to qualify for the semi-finals. The dockmen knocked out Pirates 2-0, while KPA women also eliminated Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Lynx 2-0.
KPA rocked Pirates 80-62 in Game One at Nyayo and finished their business with a 54-36 win in Game Two in Mombasa. On the other hand, women’s champions KPA humiliated JKUAT Lynx 96-24 in Game One at Nyayo before they were awarded a 20-0 win against the varsity students who failed to show up for Game Two in Mombasa.
Equity Dumas sent Terrorists packing 2-0 after they won Game One 87-68 followed with a huge 74-64 victory in Game Two.
Thunder were too smart for rivals Strathmore University Blades beating the varsity students 64-57 in Game One before wrapping up the series with a narrow 62-61 victory in Game Two to advance.
Ulinzi Warriors eliminated Eldonets Plantinum after winning Game Two 63-48. The soldiers had registered a 72-60 victory in their opener away in Eldoret.
In women’s Premier League, veteran Betty Kananu scored 20 points, Rachel Akinyi had 16 and Annerose Mandela 10 as Equity Hawks destroyed Dynamites 80-27 in Game Two on Sunday.
Coach Morris Obilo’s Zetech Sparks celebrated a 83-42 victory over Africa Nazarene University Panthers in Game Two on Sunday to qualify for semi. Zetech Sparks had beaten ANU Panthers hands down 85-31 in Game One.
Strathmore Swords sailed through to the semi-finals after dispatching Storms 49-40 in Game Two on Sunday. The students had made a good start winning Game One 45-29.
In the men’s Division Two, National Bank booked a ticket to the semi finals after a 2-1 win after they silenced Congo Nets 75-46 in the deciding Game Three.
Stanbic Shield secured a place in the men’s Division Two semi finals following their 2-0 victory over Little Prince in two matches.
In the women’s Division One, Strathmore Swords team Two moved to the semi-final after they demolished Scarlet 63-50 in Game One.
Zetech Development advanced to the women’s Division Two semi-final after knocking out KCA-U 2-0. Zetech was awarded a 20-0 after fellow varsity students failed to honor Game Two on Sunday.
