NCPB, Nairobi Water retain ECAHF titles

Kenyan handball champions National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and Nairobi Water have withstood stiff competition to defend their East and Central Africa Handball Federation (ECAHF) championships.

In the two finals played on Saturday 9 December at Nyayo handball court, the women went up first with Water facing off with NCPB ladies in the championship match.

The Jack Ochieng-led league champions came from a goal behind in a 10-09 scoreline at halftime to surpass Brian Mathews' side in a second half master class for a 27-24 outcome.

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Gladys Chilo and Cecilia Katheu combined for 16 goals with 8 each to help Water Maintain the title they haven't lost since their first appearance almost a decade. Naomi Muyoka and Joan Akinyi led the scoring for the Millers with 5 goals each.

Uganda's Nkajja finished third with 4 points from 1 win and two draws and a loss while Ulinzi Sharks were fourth with two draws and two losses for 2 points. JKT was last, having won once and lost thrice.

In the men's category, holders NCPB faced off with Rwanda's Gichumbi in the final, winning the closely-contested edge-of-the-seat final 34-32. 

Coming into the final, NCPB, the only Kenyan team that made the semis, had downed Rwanda Police 28-25 to storm the final while Gichumbi made easy work of Uganda Prisons to reach the championship match. 

In the final, NCPB's charge was led by William Malui and Timothy Kirimi who scored 8 and 7 respectively in the win. 

Rwanda Police made sure to make the podium after seeing off Uganda Prisons 30-27 in the third-place clash.