Christine Akinyi stars for Lionesses in win over Gazelles

Zetech Sparks' forward Christine Akinyi was the star of the show, pulling a double-double for Kenya Lionesses in their FIBA Africa Zone Five Women’s AfroBasket qualifiers opener against hosts Uganda Gazelles on Tuesday 14 February. 

Christine, who was on the floor for 18 minutes and 41 seconds overall, made her mark with 14 points and 12 rebounds, a stunning performance that saw Kenya go on to win the match 53-61 for a perfect start to their title defense. 

Christine Akinyi in action

Kenya is looking to defend the title they won in the 2021 edition of the zone five qualifiers for a maiden title and qualify for yet another appearance at the continental championship set for later in the year. 

The George Mayienga-coached side also had Mercy Wanyama put up quite the show to emerge as top scorer for the Lionesses with 15 points. She narrowly missed her double after pulling down nine rebounds, five on offense and four on defensive. 

It was, however, the towering Madina Okot who ruled the rebounding charts with 20, 16 on the defensive side of the court but came two points short of a double with eight. 

Lionesses led 7-16 in the first quarter, adding 18 in the second as the Ugandans scored a similar number to take a nine-point lead to the half-time break. 

Alberto Carlos' charges, however, returned for the second half charged, scoring 17 while restricting Kenya to nine points to come to within a point of equaling the score. 

With 2.58 minutes to play in the third quarter, the hosts went ahead 40-39 from the free throw line and Lugogo Indoor Arena erupted into song and dance in support of the home team that had trailed the Kenyans up to that point. 

Selina Okumu, however, restored parity on 40 points from the free throw line with her first shot and missed her second, Kenya taking the rebound to convert and go ahead by a basket. 

Lionesses set for title defense in Kampala

At the end of the period, the two sides were separated by half a basket setting the stage for a thriller in the final period. 

Mayienga's charges held the slimest of advantages at 42-43 at the start of the fourth quarter, but they managed to pull away for 44-51 with six minutes on the clock. 

The difference was back to 11 points at 44- 55 and again at 12 points 46- 58 with 3.34 minutes on the clock but Gazelles cut it to ten off the free-throw line. 

Two turnovers almost cost Lionesses the lead but the hosts missed their attempts, scoring on the third turnover for 51-58 prompting the Kenyan bench to call for a timeout to restrategise. 

Wanyama scored from the paint, off the timeout, to get Kenya's score to 60, giving her teammates a nine-point advantage to defend with about 90 seconds of action left. 

At the final whistle Carlos' charges had fought but could not turn their third quarter brilliance on in the last 10 minutes of the match for victory as Lionesses refused to give up their lead. 

Lionesses get back to action on Thursday where they face off with Rwanda before meeting South Sudan on Friday and Egypt on Sunday. 

In 2021, Lionesses defeated Egypt to book a direct ticket to the Women’s Afrobasket where they finished in ninth place and will look to pull a similar performance for a third-consecutive appearance in the continental competition.