HAWKS SWEET WIN: Equity bags 2016 basketball title to make history

Equity Bank's "Hawk" ladies team celebrate with Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League trophy after beating KPA ladies team on Monday night, Feb 13, 2017. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Equity Bank’s Hawks made history by bagging the 2016 Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) women’s Premier League title.

Equity came from behind to beat KPA 73-68 in decisive Game Five to lift their maiden KBF trophy on Monday night at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.

KPA looked poised to bag the trophy after the first two stanzas (7-15, 21-8), this saw the dockers take a 28-23 lead at the break.

But this good run by the dockers was ended on resumption by Mercy Wanyama, younger sister of Victor Wanyama, who plies his football trade at English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in the United Kingdom.

Wanyama, who starred for Equity to contribute a game high 36 points in the encounter, led the bankers to win the last two quarters 16-18 and 24-17.

This great move by Wanyama managed to deliver for Equity their first ever league title since they came to top flight two years ago. Yvonne Akinyi and Betty Kananu gave KPA 22 and 12 points each.

At the same time, Wanyama was voted Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the league while her team mate and former MVP Hilda Indasi emerged league top scorer.

Both sides had tied 1-1 in Game One and Two hosted by KPA at their Makande Welfare Hall in Mombasa the other weekend.

Hosts Equity took a 2-1 lead on Saturday before KPA levelled 2-2 on Sunday at Nyayo National stadium in Nairobi.

This prompted the federation to set up a decisive Game Five at the venue on Monday evening to determine the league winners in the playoff final staged to the best of five series.