Basketball: Zetech top KBF table

Zetech University men’s basketball team registered a narrow one basket win over their African Nazarene University (ANU) counterparts in a Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men’s Division One League encounter at the weekend.

The crucial 55-53 victory saw them ascend to the top of the log with 29 points from 19 outings. Embya, who have played 16 matches winning 13 and losing three, lie second with 29 points with students while Nakuru Club are third with 27 having won 12 lost four and forfeited one. KDF Morans and Barclays Bank are fourth and fifth tied on 25 points whereas Kenyatta University Pirates are at the bottom with 12 points from 12 encounters.

Against ANU, Zetech secured a slight one point lead against their opponents’ nine in the first quarter. 10 points but failed to maintain the lead in the first half, with ANU leading 24 against Zetech’s 20 points. ANU who are currently second from the bottom of the log with 11 points revived their hopes of chalking their fifth victory of the season as they dominated the second quarter taking it 15-10 for a 24-20 lead at halftime.

ANU seemed to have the game in their hands at the end of the third quarter enjoying a comfortable ten point advantage following their 19-12 third period score that stretched their lead to 42-32. However, they crumbled in the final period allowing Zetech to control the game and score an impressive 23-10 to snatch the victory.

Zetech Coach Job Munene was full of praise for his charges show of courage in the match. “It was a sizzling match and one of toughest this season because our opponents were not ready to go down without a proper fight. However, credit goes to the players who remained focused even when they (ANU) seemed to have gotten the better of us and cracked our defence,” Munene said.

In football, Zetech beat the PCEA Kikuyu Football Club in a heated game played on Sunday at the Ruiru stadium. Austin Ochieng scored Zetech bagged a brace in the second half to give the students victory. Benson Mutinda had scored Zetech’s opener in the first half. [Elizabeth Mburugu]