Equity to open account with APR as FIBA Africa zone five women club championships enter day three in Tanzania
Basketball
By
Ernest Ndunda
| Oct 23, 2019
Defending champions Equity Bank women’s basketball team takes on Rwanda’s APR today afternoon in their third and last preliminary match of the 2019 FIBA Africa Zone Five Women Basketball Club championship in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The bankers made a flying start on Monday evening after they whitewashed Burundi’s Le Gazelles 96-39 to set their eyes on retaining the title for the second successive year.
The bankers lifted their maiden title after upsetting 2017 winners Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) 70-54 in the final last year.
In the Monday’s match, Equity Hawks, who are coached by David Maina, saw Silalei Shani emerge as the top scorer with 15 points with Rita Onyango and Melissa Atieno contributing 14 and 12 points respectively for the bankers.
Izompora Annicka bagged 18 points for the Burundian side.
Coach Maina said he is going for title and nothing will stop them from achieving the dream.
“We are not in Tanzania for fun, but to defend the title,” said Maina.
The Hawks, who are in pool B, were to play Tanzanian side Don Bosco later yesterday in their second match before facing APR today.
Another Kenyan side Kenya Ports Authority will be in action tonight when they pla Tanzania’s JKT in their last preliminary match. The dockers are in pool A alongside Uganda’s JKL Dolphines and JKT.
KPA coach Mike Opel is also optimistic of recapturing the title.
“I have a good team that is ready to challenge all the opponents,” said Opel before the team left for Tanzania.
Their former coach Anthony Ojukwu was appointed as the Technical Director for both women and men’s teams.
Meanwhile, Kenyan men basketball team leaves the country on Sunday for the newly introduced Basketball Africa League in Madagascar.
Basketball Africa League will involve six national champions from Nigeria, Angola, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Senegal, who will automatically qualify for the competition.