Basketball: Lady Bucks earn premier league promotion

Lady Bucks's Dranny Futo in action during a past match. [Washington Onyango,Standard]

Lady Bucks have been promoted to the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) Women’s Premier League.

Competing in the best-of-five format, the Lakeside outfit edged out KPA Youth 62-50 in Game Four at the Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground, in Kisumu, to qualify for the KBF Division One Women’s final with a 3-1 win.

KPA Youth had won Game One 57-46 before Lady Bucks launched a comeback in the second and third games to win 57-43 and 62-61.

The win saw the Kisumu-based ladies side seal a return to the top tier basketball league after three years in the cold since they were relegated in 2016 and head coach Dave Michaels is confident of greatness in the new season.

Speaking to the Standard Sports, Michaels lauded his girls for patience and persistence despite the challenges.

“We are delighted as a team to have made it back to the top league. It’s been a difficult road being a self-supporting club where we depended entirely on well-wishers and we have done this with players whose only motivation is desire and passion for the game.”

“We appeal for sponsors to come on board and partner with us. We’re aware premier league is no walk in the park but we are preparing well and we will challenge them equally,” Michael said.

Lady Bucks will now play Riara University in the KBF Division One Women’s final to be contested in the best-of-five with the first two games to start in Kisumu on December 1.

Riara University knocked out Strathmore in the semifinal playoffs to glide into the finals and also qualify for the premier league next season.