L. MathekaRevenge win for Hawks against Zetech Sparks
Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 29.01.23. | 17:42
The bankers are looking to reclaim the title they have missed out on for more than three seasons
New signing Rachael Akinyi and Samba Mjomba starred for Equity Bank Hawks as the side clashed with Zetech Sparks for a slim 40-38 hard-fought victory in a Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) Women's Premier League match played at the USIU court in Nairobi on Sunday.
Mjomba led the charts for the bankers with 13 point as Akinyi scored ten to help the David Maina-led side to the crucial victory; revenge for losing the first leg fixture to the varsity side.
The match was low-scoring, dotted with missed lay-ups and unnecessary turnovers that saw the bankers take a slim advantage in the first quarter that ended 10-8.
There was little change in the second quarter, if anything even fewer points were scored as Hawks led 8-6 at the end of the ten minutes to head to the break leading by four points at 18-14.
"I am happy for this win. Even though it was not how we wanted to win it still is a positive as we lost our first leg match to Zetech.
We have made changes to the team on the last two months and winning out opening match is a step in the right direction as we look to turn the team around," coach Maina said.
The second half of the match was just as closely contested with Maina's changes leading by four or six points at all times as they went on to score 11 against Zetech's nine points.
Trailing by six points heading to the final period, Sparks showed the zeal to steal the match from the bankers and came to within a basket of equaling the score.
With 25 seconds on the clock, Sparks were down by half a basket at 39-38 and had a real chance of winning.
Shantal Kiyobe, however, in an attempt to steal the ball from Mjomba, picked a foul that took Hawks to the line.
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Mjomba converted once to make it 40-38. Zetech got to the end of the rebound on the missed free throw and drove to their basket only for their efforts to result in a turnover and all Equity has to do was hold on to possession for the win.
"We were not fit for this match. The players had not trained well due to national team and school commitments so we were bound to struggle.
I am happy with my defense, even though there is room for improvement. Our execution on offense was, however, wanting so we have to clean up house before our next fixture," offered Zetech's Maurice Obilo.
