NAIROBI (Kenya) - Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) men and women teams toppled champions Ulinzi Warriors and Equity Bank Hawks to claim the 2021 Kenya Basketball Federation league titles.

It was only the second time since the league's inception in 1987 that the ports sides achieved the honors in a calendar year. The first time they did the double was in 2018.

MEN

KPA men hit the soldiers, the only side to have beaten them twice in the regular season games, to claim the best of five game series 3-2 at the Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium for their seventh national title.

The win put KPA on course for their second Basketball Africa League (BAL) appearance and coach Sammy Kiki said he was looking forward to the continental spectacle.

The finals started at the KPA’s coastal city back yard of Mombasa. Playing before their fans, they got off to a false start going down 68-66 in Game One. They failed to contain Moran's guard Victor Bosire who exploded for a series high of 36 points.

But they did recovered well to win Game Two with a 69-58 margin after taking a nine point lead and never looked back. Ken Wachira recorded 19 points and Nick Ogol tallied 14 for KPA.

The series moved to the capital city of Nairobi for the remaining fixtures. Ulinzi struggled to hit the target as KPA build a huge 30 point advantage and recorded a 71-50 victory.

In Game Four, it was Ulinzi who raced to a 20-point cushion to claim a 57-48 win and  tie the series 2-2. Eric Mutoro sunk 22 points and was the only player who posted double digit figures while Wachira replied with 13.

The decissive Game Five was a battle royale between two of Kenya’s dominating teams. KPA took authority from the start stemming every Ulinzi tide all the way to a deserved 80-61 win.

Four players posted double digit scores with Job Byron leading the tally with 19 points, Tobias Odhiambo and Wachira collected 15 each and Lennox Wanje hit 11 for the new champions.  

James Mwangi was Ulinzi toast with 17 points while Mutoro, who struggled to finds his shooting range, managed another 15. KPA’s Wachira was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the finals.

(FIBA photo archive)

"Our defence won it for us. It generated a lot of offensive moves from the jump ball," observed coach Kiki. "In our pre game meeting we agreed to cut their penetration and stop their outside shots. While they did move in, we denied them the outside shots."

WOMEN

Equity Bank started their defense on a strong note piping KPA 53-51 in Game One in Nairobi. Betty Kananu shot 12 points that included the winning basket. Natalie Mwangale bagged the losers 17.

KPA regrouped to take Game Two 58-45 behind 12 points a piece from national team stars Vilma Achieng and Seline Okumu. Becky Nkatha chipped in with 11 while on fire Samba Mjomba replied with 17.

Game Three moved to Mombasa and KPA playing before their raucous fans 77-63 as Mwangale once again led with 17 points while Mjomba scored the losers 15.

(FIBA photo archive)

KPA iced it with a 70-64 triumph in Game Four to take their 15th title 3-1. Mwangale (MVP) and Hilda Indasi each showed the way with 16 points while Medina Okot tallied 15. Kananu shot 21 in a losing effort.

 ‘’It was a tight game they are worth opponents. I had a good lead but they closed it to one point. I sensed danger and called a time out and my girls responded well.” Said coach Anthony Ojukwu who had guaranteed his charges will carry the day.

FIBA