KPA upbeat ahead of FIBA Africa Zone 5 Club Championship title defense

KAMPALA (FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women 2017) - Reigning champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) will be looking to add yet another FIBA Africa Zone 5 Club Championship trophy to their rich cabinet when the regional tournament tips off on October 1-7 in the Ugandan capital. 

The eight-time record winners begin their title quest against the Ugandan league champions UCU Lady Canons who got off the mark with an emphatic 108-42 win over Somalia's Horseed on Sunday. 

"This is a round-robin tournament so we play one game at a time and we are approaching the tournament with an open mind. That is our strategy," - Brenda Angeshi. 

KPA, who lost the Kenyan league title to Equity Hawks earlier this year, are cautious about their fellow country-mates who are also pre-tournament favorites to win the title. 

KPA captain Brenda Angeshi told FIBA.basketball that, "This is a round-robin tournament so we play one game at a time and we are approaching the tournament with an open mind. That is our strategy."

"It is very important that we come here with experience even though we have a different and younger team that we did last year. We are good to go," she added confidently.

In what is expected to be another big game, KCCA Leopards face an uphill task when they take on Kenyan champions Equity Hawks. 

Nothing short of a physical contest is expected in this encounter that will pit two of the top four ranked sides at the tournament. 

Burundian point guard Cynthia Irankunda will for the first time come up against her two former teammates Samba Mjomba and Hilda Indasi Luvandwa since their dominant days at undergraduate school at USIU in Kenya. 

Luvandwa admitted that it will be emotional, "I cannot wait to play against Cynthia. I do not even know how she has been playing. I take her as a real threat because I played with her throughout my entire undergrad school and she was a pillar in our team so it will not be easy. Nobody wants to lose because it is a round-robin."

Kenyan league MVP Mercy Wanyama will be up against her national team partner in the paint Vilma Achieng with that matchup set to light up this tie. 

Meanwhile, Rwandan league winners APR will be looking to bounce back after losing they opening game to KCCA and are hoping to pick their first victory when they take on Don Bosco from Tanzania.

The army captain Charlotte Umugwaneza called on her teammates to stay focused and revamp their chances of a good placing at the tournament with the target being among the top three. 

"We know Don Bosco and it is the usual faces. They have not changed much. We are looking to play great defense and deny them the chance of shooting from afar," Umugwaneza said. 

The top two teams will represent Zone 5 at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup Women 2017 that will be held next month in Angola. 

FIBA