KPA dominate Equity for maximum points away in Nairobi

Coach Sammy Kiki made sure his side's trip to Nairobi bore maximum fruits for the league champions as he guided Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to victory over Equity Dumas in a highly charged league match played at Nyayo Indoor Arena.

Eugene Adera scored 20 for the dockers with John Wiljass adding 16, all scored in the second half, to aide the visitors clinch a convincing 80-60 win that firmly puts them at helm of the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men's league standings. 

"Our plan was to play great defence on their three point shooters as we knew they are good from beyond the arc and we were able yo cover their shots. 

Our offense was well executed as the shots we have been working on in training tye entire week worked," offered coach Kiki. 

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Four minutes of play and each side having scored five, it was clear this would be a see-saw quarter with defence likely to decide which side carries the day as shots were falling from the most difficult of angles for either team. 

It was Dumas who enjoyed a four-point advantage at 11-7 and 13-9, the biggest lead so far with three minutes to play, giving the visitors the burden of chasing the match. 

Adera cut the deficit to half a basket from beyond the arc but Joshua Kisali's tap back had the bankers lead 15-12 with less than two minutes to play. 

Nick Ogol scored for the dockers for 15-14 but with five seconds on the clock, Job Byron's steal from a Dumas inbound could not hand KPA the lead as his attempt went over the rim with no one to rebound for the glaring points. 

Byron made up for his sins with a mid-range jumper in the first minute of the second quarter to hand KPA the lead at 16-15 and two baskets later, Dumas head coach Carey 'T9' Odhiambo had to talk to his charges as the gap grew to 20-15 in favour of the visitors with 8.20 to play. 

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The emphasis for the bankers on that timeout was on rebounding but the frustration on the tactician's face was evident as his charges allowed the dockers more second chance points than he would have wanted to witness to lead 28-18 with with six minutes to play. 

Dumas continued to suffer on rebounding both offensively and defensively as KPA dominated on both fronts and the score showed as Kiki's men led 32-19 with 1.20 to play. 

Cliff Alela added one from the free-throw line to help Dumas reach 20 while Adera executed a difficult jumper for 34-20 as the march headed for the break. 

Victor 'electric' Ochieng came out of the locker rooms guns blazing bagging back-to-back treys seconds in to the third quarter for 34-26 while Lenson Kisia added a basket for 34-28 promoting Kiki to call for a timeout with barely two minutes played. 

The difference was down to three with six minutes to play, James Mwangi having done a the donkey work to pull the bankers from the abyss. 'Electric' added a basket for 35-34, Joseph Khaemba having scored from the line, and there was light at the end of Dumas' tunnel. 

Their run was, however, shortlived as Adera and Lennox Wanje did some damage to see KPA extend their advantage to 43-35 and 'T9' had to restrategise on a much-needed timeout. KPA kept their hands firm on the lead to head to the final period with a ten poibt advantage at 52-42. 

The bankers cut the deficit to seven but the visitors had other plans as they worked their way to a 60-46 advantage throwing 'T9's charges right back to the deep end where they'd have to claw back from for a win. 

That, however, was never to be as the dockers went on to win the match by 20 points.