KEN - Gloom as national champions Ulinzi Warriors disbanded

NAIROBI (Premier League) - GLOOM descended on the Kenyan basketball scene over the weekend when Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) chairman Agina Wesonga announced that Ulinzi Warriors, the national champions have been disbanded.

The sad announcement has hit the local basketball scene like a thunderbolt considering that Ulinzi, the six time title winners, very much remained the team to beat.

Wesonga said the team sponsors communicated the development and they were trying the much they could as a federation to see if it can be reversed. 

"Yes we have received a letter from them confirming the move" said Agina who requested the Armed Forces to "reconsider the decision as it will affect the competition."

He said that since the Ulinzi team provides the bulk of the players to the national side, dismantling the club is just like turning the clock backward.

He said that KBF has given the team upto the first week of May to see if things might change. After that period, then they will redraw the fixtures.

"Its a painful decision, but we will give them time to reconsider their participation in the league. If this is not going to be possible, then we will move on."

The soldiers won their first league title in 1999 and went on to represent the country in the Africa Club championships the following year.

They were pitted against BC Onatra of DR Congo who knocked them out of the preliminary round due to inferior aggregate despite winning the home tie.

Ulinzi then made history by becoming the only local club to win the national title five times in a row when the beat Co-op Bank 2-0 in 2006 play off finals.

Previously they had also won the titles in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.In 2003, they lifted their only East and Central Africa club championships in Zanzibar.

The national team players for Ulinzi are assistant captain Ancette Wafula, Moses Shida, Victor Odendo, Vincent Ambani, John Apollo, Simon Mugambi and Richard Osano who has since moved to Qatar.

Ulinzi were due to play their opening fixture against University of Nairobi "Terrorists" on April 15 and Kisumu Lakeside on April 28.

Meanwhile, in the Premier Leagu matches played over the weekend at Nyayo National Stadium. University of Nairobi "Terrorists" posted their first win when they beat International Christian Center (ICC)73-71.

The campus lads, who fell 60-71 to Co-operative Bank of Kenya in their first tie, took a 13-11 lead at the first quarter and hanged on for a 39-34 advantage at half time.

In the third quarter, ICC beaten 98-74 by regional champs KCB Lions, still trailed 18-21 and were simply the better side in the last quarter where they went ahead 25-13.

Brian Busu UoN's new scoring star led the team once again when he poured in 20 points while the losers were pepped by Qatari based Nelson Njau who connected for 21.

In the ladies top show, Catholic Dream Team (CDT) went down for the second time in succesive game when they were rocked 38-31 by Kisumu's Lake Cruisers. CDT had lost 32-64 to Yana.

Cruisers were felled 61-79 by Yana Milele who had 16 points from Ruth wasike and 15 from Judy Akoth. Veteran national team playersv Wilkister Oduor colled 18 as did Susan Oketch for the losers.

Dann O'Were
FIBA