Champs Kisumu All Stars finally get the winning formula

Kisumu All Stars team. [Washington Onyango, Standard]

Kisumu All Stars are the 2019 Kisumu County Basketball League (KCBL) champions.

The three-time runners-up were crowned champions after a 62-49 win sealed a 3-1 series victory over Maseno Dukes in the playoff final played at the Jomo Kenyatta Sportsground in Kisumu.

All Stars put to an end their poor run in the finals after losing three finals in four years against Wildcats, Team Platinum and Bay Lakers respectively in 2015, 2016 and 2018.

All Stars were forced to come from behind last week to tie the series 1-1 after losing Game One 63-62 to Maseno. They won Game Two 72-68 and were even stronger in Game Three.

The lakeside team braced themselves from a 13-8 and 13-9 first and third quarter losses to win 63-46 in Game Three after winning second and fourth quarters 28-8 and 18-12 respectively.

The Maseno University-based team, who were seeking their first title, were looking to lock the series 2-2 but a fantastic 29-10 first quarter win by All Stars put the game to bed as Maseno’s 12-8, 14-13 and 13-12 wins in the remaining quarters was not enough to stop All Stars, who won Game Four 62-49.

Justus Oktoyi of All Stars scored a game high of 21 points followed by teammate Jeff Obuya with 19 points, while Edgar Miheso of Maseno was third with 17 points.

The victory over Maseno saw them register their maiden title and head coach Erick Mwoki praised his charges for stepping up and ending their four-year title wait.

“It has been a very difficult four years for us in the league but I am happy the boys gave it all this year to finally bring the title home,” he said.

His Maseno counterpart Felix Anguko could only praise his team for a spirited fight.