NAIROBI (Kenya) - The home side, Ulinzi Warriors, and Burundi's Les Hippos, won their respective semi-final matches on the penultimate day of the 2025 East Africa Basketball Championship Cup (EABCC), setting up a final clash on Friday.
Les Hippos secured a double victory against the home team, KPA, while the Warriors stunned Umoja in an all-Kenyan match.
The losers will play in the third-place play-off, with KPA keen to replicate their bronze medal success from the last tournament.
Below is a review of the 2025 EABCC semi-finals:
Les Hippos stifle KPA to keep title hopes alive
For the second time in a row, Les Hippos proved to be the better team against the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), the Kenyan league silver medallists, winning their semi-final match-up 75–64 to reach the final.
Romis Bujeje and Landry Ndikumana were the Burundians' top scorers with 21 and 18 points respectively; the former completed a double-double with 12 rebounds.
Having faced off against each other in the group stage, the clash between the two sides was closely contested in the opening half. The Mombasa-based side got the action going through Eugene Adera in the paint as they raced to an early 8–2 lead.
However, the Hippos mounted a comeback, first taking the lead at 10–8 before extending their advantage to 18–12. The quarter ended 20–16 in their favour.
It was a second quarter to forget for the home side. Going the final five minutes without a basket in a 16-9 quarter left them trailing by 11 (36-25) at halftime.
"It's been a good tournament so far. We fell short in our opening match, but we put that right, stayed together as a team, and played for each other. In the final, we will need to play as a solid unit. We are looking to retain the trophy in Burundi and put the country on the basketball map," Hippos guard Dushime told FIBA.basketball.
Mike Opel's KPA adjusted their approach in the third quarter, scoring 13 in the opening five minutes while restricting the visitors to four for a score of 40–38. The Hippos responded with a 15–6 run of their own to extend their lead to double digits at 55–44.
Two minutes into the final quarter, the Dockers had reduced their deficit to single digits at 59–51. The indefatigable Tobias Odhiambo and Salim Kisilu, fresh from a 3x3 national team assignment in China, connected for a three-point shot to make it a six-point game with 5:47 to play.
Adera rose above his marker to make a mid-range jumper and Kisilu stepped up to the free-throw line to make three shots in a row, making it 64-62. Under pressure from Bramwel Mwombe, Bujeje went for a three-point play to put his side in a safe position. Robin Clark Dushime shot from deep to make it 70-62, and the side held on for victory.
"It was a tough match. We didn't do enough on defence, and they had a lot of penetrations that gave them most of their points. We will regroup ahead of the third-place play-off and hope to retain our bronze medal from last year," said a dejected KPA captain Gerry Mukhwana.
Ulinzi hold their own for victory over Umoja
The Ulinzi Warriors continued their unbeaten run in the regional silverware campaign, securing a 68–64 victory to reach Friday's final.
Umoja struggled to contain the military side in the paint, but mounted a late rally with some edge-of-the-seat action in the final minutes of the game. However, it was not enough to turn the match in their favour.
Both teams got off to a flying start, entertaining the fans with a three-point clinic as they tied the game at six points from range, with Umoja leading 9–8. The soldiers pulled ahead to 17-11 off an Elvis Akoyi three-pointer. Simeon Rapudo's three-point play took the match to 20–11.
Despite getting into foul trouble in the opening three minutes of the second period, Ulinzi managed to avoid picking up any more fouls. Umoja narrowed the gap to 26-22, but Ulinzi's accurate long-range shooting pulled them ahead to 40-29 at halftime.
"Today was all about teamwork and defense. We knew they have good shooters and we had to cut their shots and put traps worked. Towards the end, however, the pressure and fatigue got to us.
After the break, Umoja gained some momentum, quickly reducing their deficit to 43-38 in the opening four minutes. However, Ulinzi regrouped to make it 48-38 with just over two minutes left in the third period. Dismas Mbaka's three with 1:50 to play made it 48–42, forcing Mufutu's team to call a timeout. Just as in the second quarter, Umoja failed to capitalise on Ulinzi's foul trouble, instead allowing a 7–1 run to make it 55–43 heading into the final quarter.
Umoja fought back to make it 67-60 with just under two minutes to play. Faheem Juma's three with 30 seconds on the clock revived his side's hopes of winning at 68-63, with Bosire converting once from the free throw line to make it 68-64 with 16.3 seconds left.
"We did not play to our potential and this is a tough loss. We came to shoot the ball but we couldn't and our transition defense was also poor to execute our game plan. We drew some fouls but our conversion on the line was wanting. We have work to do ahead of the bronze match, but that's a must-win match for us," Umoja forward Thomas Kioko said.
On the final day, Gambela City will take on the Stein Warriors in the fifth-place play-off, setting the stage for an all-Kenyan showdown between KPA and Umoja.
The host nation's hopes rest with Ulinzi as they look to win the title, while the Hippos will be looking to extend Burundi's reign in the EABCC.
FIBA