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WBL-AQ: First quarter slip denies Equity Bank Hawks win over REG
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 28.10.24. | 17:31
JKL Lady Dolphins were the talk of the day as they managed a 91-54 victory over Burundi's Young Sisters, despite having only five players and no technical bench
Betty Kananu, the top scorer as Equity Bank Hawks went down 86-73 to Rwanda Energy Group (REG) in their second match at the ongoing Women's Basketball League-Africa (WBL-Africa) Zone Five qualifiers, is confident the team will bounce back in their next fixture.
Hawks were coming off a 73-51 comfortable victory over Burundi's Gladiators while REG had thrashed Tanzania’s Fox Divas 105-48.
The Benson Oluoch-coached Bankers hit a snag in the last five minutes of the opening quarter, scoring only four as REG went hard for a 25-14 first quarter that, in the end, was the Kenyan side's Achilles heel as they went on to lose by 13.
"We had a good start but lost the plot midway in the opening quarter and they took a lead that we tried to cut, coming close severally but couldn't muster enough points to turn the game around.
I am, however, impressed with how the team played despite the tough loss," Kananu who dropped 19 points for the side offered.
Oluoch's charges played better from the second quarter, trailing 25-21 to head to the half-time break on a 15-point deficit.
The Kenyans were the better side in the third stanza, going ahead 22-18 to make it an 11-point game but an 18-16 final quarter for the Zone Five reigning silver medalists gave the Rwandese side back-to-back wins.
"We missed a few open layups and allowed them some easy baskets as well. These are mistakes we can correct as we look to win our next match against home side Fox Divas with a big margin as the points aggregate matters and finish in second place in our group ahead of the knockout stages," Kananu added.
Valerie Kemunto was the side's second-best scorer with 12, two more than the trio of Melissa Otieno, Maryann Nyagaki and Judith Edward Pantaleo.
REG's charge was led by Destiney Promise Philoxy on 18 points with Kenya Lionesses forward Victoria Reynolds adding 16 to the tally.
Elsewhere, JKL Lady Dolphins were the talk of the day as they managed a 91-54 victory over Burundi's Young Sisters, despite having only five players and no technical bench as the rest of the team arrives on Monday evening.
Evelyne Nikiyingi scored 27 for the Ugandans, Hope Akello added 25, Brenda Ekone 18, skipper Flavia Oketcho 14 and Rita Imanishimwe added seven.
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