KPA unbowed despite loss to APR, eyeing WBLA Qualifiers' final

Kenyan women's basketball champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) gave away an 18-point opening half lead in their final Group A clash at the ongoing Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) to fall 81-71 to Rwanda's APR.

The loss meant the Antony Ojukwu-led side finished second in the group on a 3-1 show, landing another Rwandese side, REG (Rwanda Energy Group), in Friday, 14 November's semifinal.

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Ojukwu, who had already declared the title KPA's to lose, remained unbowed in the face of this challenge, maintaining that his charges executed to perfection but were not mentally tough, leading to a third-quarter slump that allowed Charles Mushumba's APR to catch up, winning by 10.

“It was a good game, one I enjoyed watching and playing in," a calm Ojukwu, contrary to his heated sideline reactions as his side committed unforced error after another, told Mozzart Sport after the clash on Thursday night.

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"I am disappointed with the loss but happy with the execution. In the third quarter, however, we committed unforced errors that I believe we wouldn't have if we had played our game. That quarter came down to mental toughness. The players cracked, and the timeouts did little to change the momentum. Despite the loss, we will pick ourselves up in the semis and play our game," the coach continued.

At a sold-out Nyayo Gymnasium, the group A leaders traded blows with precision and determination, KPA shooting thrice from range in the opening six minutes to maintain a slight advantage (15-13) over the African bronze medalists. The hosts went 9-2 in the remaining minutes to lead 24-17 after the opening 10 minutes.

Mushumba was forced into a timeout in the opening two minutes after KPA pushed the scores to 31-17, Kamba Yoro Diakite broke the deadlock for 35-19, and Destiney Philoxy got the Rwandese over the 20-point mark from range.

However, momentum shifted as APR fought to come back to cut the deficit to 10 at 40-30 with two and a half minutes on the clock, Diakite and Philoxy leading the charge. Alima Doumbia, however, scored seven to restore KPA's double-digit advantage (44-33) heading to the halftime break.

APR came off the break guns blazing, quickly eating into KPA's lead to come within touching distance at 48-44, off an Italee Lucas trey. Yacine Diop made it a one-point game (48-47) from the charity stripe, and it was KPA who needed to regroup.

APR took the lead at 52-51, but Ifunanya Okoro tied the game at 54 from behind the arc just as the hosts lost their center player, Aminata Ly, to an injury. She would later get subbed back in but struggled, sending APR to the free throw line thrice.

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Philoxy opened the scoring with a trey to hand APR the lead as the final stanza got underway, and the hosts were left chasing the match. Diakite did all the work to hand APR a five-point cushion at 68-63, further extending their advantage to 74-66 with a minute to go, and there was no stopping the continental bronze medalists, who went on to take the victory.

"We were mentally prepared for whatever they would throw at us, and we played as a unit, defended well, and stayed focused even as they took the early lead. In the second half, we stuck to our game plan and followed the coach's instructions. In the semis, we will bring the same energy and fighting spirit as we look to qualify," APR forward Diakite said.

Coach Ojukwu continues to rally his side, arguing that APR's loss, the same side that denied the 2023 Zone champions a place in last year's BAL, was a slip. The tactician says he hasn't watched REG in action, but his side will be ready for them.

"We have slipped, but we are not down; we will pick ourselves up. We will play our game and adjust to their strengths while exploiting weaknesses,” Ojukwu concluded.