KPA champions as Ulinzi and USIU also qualify for continental showpiece

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Kenya Ports Authority (KP) are the champions of the 2016 Fiba Africa Zone V Clubs Basketball Championship here in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

The United States International University (Usiu) finished second in the women’s log behind KPA to also qualify for the Africa Clubs Basketball showpiece, popularly known as the final tour, slated for Maputo, Mozambique in December.

League champions Ulinzi Warriors also did the country proud by finishing as runners-up behind City Oilers of Uganda which saw them bag a slot for the final tour in the men’s category. KPA won the tightly contested women’s round robin title with 11 points after triumphing in five of their six encounters at the Indoor Stadium where the championship was staged.

The dockers were in a class of their own as they destroyed KCCA of Uganda 72-27 in their last match of the tournament.KPA triumphed in the quarters 17-11, 19-6, 19-7 and 17-3.

The match also propelled Selina Okumu to be awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament following her continued outstanding performance for KPA in the championship.

“This is a great surprise for me; I never knew someone was watching so closely, I just played my game throughout. I feel humbled by this trophy,” said Okumu who was making her debut in the championship.

Apart from KCCA, the dockers won against Ubumwe of Rwanda 62-51, Don Bosco of Tanzania 114-63, Usiu 72-51, JKT Stars of Tanzania 73-41 and lost to UCU of Uganda 60-64 on their way to be crowned champions.

This is the ninth title that KPA, who were hungry for victory after missing out in the tournament last year, were lifting at the championship. KPA head coach Anthony Ojukwu and his assistant Phillip Onyango praised the girls for having executed the job so well.

“We came with our game plan which successfully worked out; we hope to replicate the same in Maputo. Our aim is to start preparations early for the final tour,” said Ojukwu. Onyango warned Kenya Basketball Federation clubs to brace themselves for tough battles as inspired KPA will be firing from cylinders in the league.

“Our mission to conquer Zone V is now over, our focus now turns to the league which is a must win for us, we are out to reclaim the league trophy we dearly lost last season,”Onyango noted. Usiu players also danced and shouted “Maputo Here We Come” after they edged Uganda Christian University (UCU) 57-53 in their last match of the championship.

The win saw Usiu shoot to the second place on the log behind KPA with 10 points and superior goal differences. Head coach George Mayienga and his assistant Abel Nson were quite relieved by the victory which will now see them aim to improve their seventh place finished last year in Maputo in the final tour.

“We are going to start an early preparation for Maputo. We have to be very fit, quite focus and perfect in our techniques,” said Nson. Ulinzi’s hope of winning the regional title for the second time after 2004 in Zanzibar was smoked out after they lost 72-49 to the sleek City Oilers in the final.

Nonetheless, head coach William Balozi said he was quite impressed with their display in the championship he said was tough and quite competitive this year. “We appreciate the runners up position, we tried our best but our opponents were the better side, we will live to fight another day,” noted Balozi.

Balozi said he now turns focus at defending the league at the same time commencing preparation for the men’s final tour whose new venue will be announced soon by Fiba after Egypt withdrawn from hosting. Fact Box Final women standings Team Points 1. KPA 11 2. Usiu 10 (+7) 3. Ubumwe (Rwanda) 10 (-4) 4. UCU (Uganda) 10(-3) 5. KCCA (Uganda) 9 6. JKT Stars 7 7. Don Bosco 6 Men’s final Ulinzi 49 City Oilers (Uganda) 72 Men’s third place playoff Usiu 60 Patriots (Rwanda) 67