Basketball: Champions Ulinzi Warriors edge Blades as Pirates rob Emyba

Ulinzi Warriors at Basketbal Africa League (bal) in Tanzania.[Courtesy-BAL]

Defending KBF Premier League champions Ulinzi Warriors marked their return to the KBF Premier League with a win after seeing off Strathmore Blades 65-52 at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.

The Warriors were away for two weeks representing the country in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) qualifiers in Tanzania but resumed as if they never left when William Ochieng dropped high 14 points and five rebounds to inspire the champions to their 16th win of the season.

Joshua Okumu and Ancent Wafula added 12 points each in the victory which sees them move joint second with Equity Banks on 33 points but with two games in hand.

Blades’Ken Dwalo despite the defeat finished with a game high 15 points and five rebounds followed by Garang Deng with 13 points as Dennis Koja added12 points.

The champions started the match well after taking a comfortable 18-4 lead in the opening quarter before Blades improved in the second quarter for a 15-15 tie but Ulinzi went to the break leading 33-19.

The university students returned from the break much hungrier and took the third quarter 15-12 but their attempt to condemn the champions to their second defeat of the season came down tumbling in the last quarter which Ulinzi won 20-18 for a 65-52 win.

Ulinzi Warriors have only lost once in their 17 matches played, a narrow 61-59 defeat which came at the hands of Lakeside in Kisumu in March.

In the other match, Kenyatta University Pirates defeated Emyba 69-51 at the same ground.