KPA step up training ahead of epic clash

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) men’s team has stepped up training ahead of their Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men’s Premier League final play-offs, starting on February 4 in Mombasa and Nairobi.

KPA will battle Co-op Bank Spartans in the expected volatile encounter to be played to the best of five series as both sides look forward to lift the 2016 title.

The team is currently under the tutelage of former KPA marksman Sammy Kiki, who is looking forward to win his first title as a coach with the side he featured for over a decade ago, in the same league.

Kiki not only led the side to numerous finals but propelled them to back to back victories in 1990, 1991 and 1992, a feat he is hoping to replicate after taking over the side as coach last season.

Kiki’s hope is almost realised after re-energising KPA, who had lackluster performance in the 2016 regular season, to the playoff finals.

“I will now be looking for a fifth title with the club. The first three I won as a player. The fourth one was in 2014 as an assistant coach under Anthony Ojukwu. I am hopeful to win the fifth title with the club as a fully-fledged coach this year,” said Kiki.

“We did not have a good run in the regular season; we just woke up and found ourselves fighting for a playoff spot in the last minute. If we were not focused we couldn’t have made it to the playoff quarters,” Kiki admitted.

Kiki said the dedicated training they had as a team for two weeks before the quarter’s playoffs was key to their current terrific form that has seen them sail to the finals.

“We went ahead to beat United States International University (USIU) 2-0 in the quarter’s playoff and thrashed defending champions Ulinzi Warriors 3-1 in the semis. We are hopeful to replicate the same on Co-op Bank in the finals,” Kiki said.

Kiki knows their clash with Co-op Bank will be an explosive affair and so they have to win the first two games which they will host at their Makande Gymnasium on February 4 and 5 to stand a better chance of winning the 2016 title.

“I want us to be on fire as we host Game One and Two in Mombasa with great hopes that we are going for nothing but the gong,” said Kiki.

The bankers will host the remaining three legs a week later at Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium in Nairobi where the winners of the 2016 title will be crowned.

The bulk of the team, including Tobias Odumbe, Victor Bosire, Frank Omondi, Moses Wanjara and Arou Chan who are based in Nairobi, have moved to Mombasa to have an all-inclusive training with the rest of the squad in Mombasa.