Relentless KPA rebound with win over Elan Coton

 

DAR ES SALAAM (Tanzania) - Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) rose from their opening-day loss to Dynamo BBC to redeem their chances of qualifying for the East Division Elite 16 with a 68-48 win over Benin’s Elan Coton.

The two sides were meeting for the first time in the Road to BAL Group C matches ongoing in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and, having lost their openers, needed a positive result.

Nigerian international Bright Osagie, playing just over 30 minutes, led the onslaught for KPA with 14 points in the win and came a rebound shy of bagging a double-double.

KPA improved its Group C record to 1-1 after a loss on the opening day

Luqman Leon Lundy, on the floor for 26.44 minutes, collectively scored 12 as did, KPA’s top scorer in their opening match Tyronne Maliek Jordan.

Yves-Louis Ngaransou led the charts for Elan Coton, hitting a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds as Asshe Stephane Auguste Kokoun also pulled a similar performance with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

In the opening quarter, KPA bagged their first point through Tobias Odhiambo on the free-throw line as he converted the first of two as Elan Coton opened their account through a Louis Ngaransou.

Yves-louis Ngaransou

The Benin champions were on a roll, going ahead 8-3 and again 10-5, 4.56 minutes into the match. 

The Mombasa-based Kenyan champions, however, fought back to level the score at 13 off a Eugene Odera free-throw. 

Lennox Wanje stole the ball from Abdou Sane, laying it up to give KPA the lead for the first time since the opening free-throw. Abdoulaye Haidara had the opportunity to level matters but missed once from the line for 15-14, a score line that remained at the end of the first quarter.

Elan Coton reclaimed their lead at 16-15, Ngaransou doing the damage but Wanje responded almost immediately with a trey that took KPA right back on top at 18-16 as the Kenyan side went on a 10-point scoring streak for a 25-16 lead before the opponent could get their next point.

The second quarter ended 20-12 in favour of the East Africans who took a 9-point advantage to the half-time break (35-26).

Martin Kitong’o opened the account for KPA in the third quarter with a steal and a layup as the side extended their advantage to 11 points halfway through the quarter at 41-30.

Nigerian Bright Osagie Akhuetie led KPA with a game-high 14 points

It was a somewhat quiet second part of the period as both sides managed just seven points. Kitong’o scored KPA’s last basket of the quarter with 1.50 minutes to spare but the side could not make use of their chances to extend their advantage.

Ngaransou and Auguste Kokoun drew first blood in the final period with a layup and mid-range jumper to bring Elan Coton’s tally to 41 as Adera got KPA to the half-century mark with a jump shot for 50-41 and further to 52-41 off the line halfway through the final quarter.

Maliek Jordan’s three-point shot took KPA’s score line to 55-43 as Haidara added two from the line. An Adera layup and another trey from Jordan made it 62-43 as the Guy Arnaud-coached side went on to win 68-48.

The two sides will be back in action on Saturday for their final Group C matches where KPA plays Pazi BBC while Elan Coton face off with Dynamo BBC.

FIBA