KPA to begin Elite 16 quest against Urunani in exciting road To BAL

Reigning Kenya Basketball Federation champions Kenya Ports Authority’s journey to making a maiden appearance at the Basketball Africa League finals has been drawn; involving three consecutive days of basketball and a pair of placement matches as FIBA fixtures revealed in the weekend.

Pooled in Group A of the East Division qualifiers, KPA will face off against Burundian side Urunani, hosts Cape Town Tigers and debutants NBA Academy respectively, with the top two sides securing semifinal berths.

The Dockers first game will tip off on 22 November at 3pm (Kenyan time) against Urunani, a side making their debut in the second round of the BAL qualifiers. Urunani went unbeaten in the first round, claiming three victories in a series of Group C games staged in Dar es Salaam last month.

The second in a trio of back to back games will see KPA lock horns with the host side and South Africa National champions, Cape Town Town Tigers on 23 November at 8 pm (Kenyan time). The Tigers made their debut in the second edition of the BAL, emerging triumphant in the 2021 leg of the Road To BAL games held in Soweto.

A fixture against invitational side NBA Academy will round up the pool games for KPA on 24 November, with a day of rest paving way for the semifinals and finals.

Format:

A top two finish in the group secures advancement to the second round.

The second round will bring together the other top two finishers from Group B (East Division) for a pair of semifinal matches, a third place match-up and a final.

 The two finalists and the third placed team get a ticket into BAL 2023.

East Division fixtures:

22/11/2022.

1230: City Oilers vs COSPN

1500: Urunani vs KPA

1730: Ferroviario Da Beira vs Matero Magic

2000: Cape Town Tigers vs NBA Academy.

23/11/ 2022.

1230: Ferroviario Da Beira vs COSPN

1500: NBA Academy vs Urunani

1730: Matero Magic vs City Oilers

2000: Cape Town Tigers vs KPA.

24/22/2022.

1230: COSPN vs Matero Magic

1500: KPA vs NBA Academy

1730: City Oilers vs Ferroviario Da Beira

2000: Urunani vs Cape Town Tigers.

26/11/2022.

Semifinals.

S1: 1st A vs 2nd B

S2: 1st B vs 2nd  A.

27/11/2022.

3rd place:

3-4 P: Loser S1 vs Loser S2.

Final:

F: Winner S1 vs Winner S2.