KBF MEN’s FINAL: KPA shoot Warriors to even KBF final series

Former Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men's league champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) have put their ambitions of winning the 2021/22 league title back on track. 

The Sammy Kiki-led side beat nemesis Ulinzi Warriors 69-58 to even the best-of-five final series at 1-1 ahead of Game Three through to five set for next weekend in Nairobi. The first match ended 68-66 in favour of the soldiers. 

Warriors get title defence off to a winning start

Ken Wachira continued his impressive show for the home team, scoring a match-high 19 points, up from 17 as his side lost in Game One. Of the 19, points 15 were scored from beyond the arc. John Wiljass and Job Byron joined him the double scoring 12 and 10 respectively. 

"We played a better game today. We had better defence and our shots were dropping. Despite the win, we still have a few areas to polish up ahead of the remaining matches and we will be good to fight for the title," offered coach Kiki.

The dockers dominated Game Two from the firat whistle, leading Warriors who are out to defend their title 12-5 in the first five minutes of the match and extending the advantage to nine points at 21-12 at the end of the first period. 

Warriors played an impressive first five minutes in the second quarter, mounting a successful but short-lived comeback as they tied the score at 27 points in that timeline. 

However, they went on a dry spell in the remaining five minutes of the period to trail by eight points at 35-27 heading to the halftime break. 

On resumption, KPA scored 15 against Warriors' 11 in the third quarter to build a comfortable lead which they held on to even as Warriors scored 20 against 19 in the final quarter. 

James Mwangi and Victor Bosire top scored for the military side at 16 and 12 respectively in a match that the latter and his Kenya Morans counterpart Eric Mutoro were denied numerous scoring chances by the KPA defence.