Champions KPA ready to dock rookies Emyba in league match

Equity Bank's Kevin Kegotho (left) and Fredrick Odongo of Emyba challenge Fredrick Odongo of Emyba during KBF League match at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, April 6, 2019. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men’s Premier League champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) have two matches lined up in Nairobi this weekend.

Double victory against Emyba and Kenya College of Accountancy University (KCA-U) will see the dockers amass 27 points two more than current leaders Thunder who will not be in action this weekend.

However, they may have to be content with second place as former holders Ulinzi Warriors will also be on a points hunting mission in Kisumu and Eldoret.

Red-hot Ulinzi, who are currently second on the standings with 25 points same as Thunder, have higher chances of snatching the top spot. KPA will be looking to chalk their 11th win of the season when they take on newcomers Emyba today at Nyayo Gymnasium.

The dockers’ will be hoping to complete a double against a side they beat in their league opener away in Mombasa in March. They go into the match having secured an emphatic 91-31 win over World Hope at Makande Hall last Saturday.

Emyba, on the other hand, will build on last Sunday’s 68-61 win over KCA-U students to consolidate their place in the top eight so as to enhance their chances of securing a play-offs slot on their debut.

They will bank on the services of Eugine Adera and Erick Olum who anchored them to victory against the students.

Ulinzi Warriors will today take on Lakeside in Kisumu before travelling to Eldoret to play newly promoted Eldonets. Ulinzi who have had a good run this season will be looking to secure second leg victories against the two sides that they beat in Nairobi in the first round.

The soldiers will once again rely on the services of their main man Erick Mutoro who has been instrumental leading them to 12 wins.

Victory in Kisumu and Eldoret will see them dislodge Thunder who are the only side to have beaten them from the top of the table. In another men’s Premier League match, Strathmore University Blades will take on struggling United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) Tigers at Nyayo tomorrow.

In the women’s Premier League title chase, champions Equity Bank Hawks will be looking to avenge their first leg loss to KPA this afternoon. Hawks will be out to overturn their 60-62 loss to former holders KPA before taking on Zetech University students tomorrow. Betty Kananu and Belinda Okoth will lead Equity’s onslaught.

Dim USIU-A Flames will hunt for their second win against KPA tomorrow. Former champions Flames have been stuck at the bottom of the log and risk relegation.

Last season’s semi-finalists Storms and Strathmore University Swords will face off in another women’s clash. The two sides are separated by one point in second and third places behind leaders Equity bank.

Weekend fixtures (Premier League)

Today

Men

Lakeside v Ulinzi (12 pm)

Emyba v KPA (4 pm)

Women

Storms v Strathmore (1 pm)

Equity Bank v KPA (2:30 pm)

Tomorrow

Men

Eldonets v Ulinzi (10am)

KCA-U v KPA (2:30 pm)

Blades v USIU-A (4 pm)

Women 

Equity Bank v Zetech (11:30 am)

USIU-A v KPA (1 pm)