Kenya basketball league returns with exciting matches on the cards

After a short festive break, the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) leagues return this weekend with exciting matches scheduled across different venues in the country.

The highlight matches of the weekend in both the men's and women’s top-tier leagues will see holders Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) who are playing catch-up after being away on international duty take on Equity Bank sides, Dumas and Hawks.

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Coach Sammy Kiki’s KPA men are third on the log, having played nine matches, two less than runaway leaders, and the only undefeated side Nairobi City Thunder. Ulinzi Warriors are second with 19 points off 11 matches, having lost thrice. KPA have lost twice.

The dockers host a Dumas side that has also played nine matches for 15 points, losing three matches so far to place fourth on the log, a point behind the defending champions.

Saturday’s match is a repeat of last season’s final where the two sides clashed in the best-of-five final series with Kiki’s men lifting the title in a 3-1 outcome. The two sides have, however, slightly tinkered squads for the 2023/24 season and thus this will be a different ball game.

Meanwhile, the women’s battle will be a repeat of the Africa Women’s Basketball League (AWBL) when the two sides last met in Alexandria for the continental tourney’s quarters match, KPA winning 81-66. This, however, will be a different match as both sides had bolstered their squads for the AWBL.

Nonetheless, Antony Ojukwu’s women will look to continue their unbeaten run as they continue their ascent from the unfamiliar mid-table. Before heading to Egypt for the inaugural AWBL where they made history as the first Kenyan women’s side to reach a continental club final, Ojukwu’s charges had played five matches to sit eighth on the log on 10 points while the bankers have played one more for 11 points, putting them in fifth place.

Other matches of the weekend will see Africa Nazarene University (ANU) Wolfpacks take on ABSA in the men’s top-tier league while Zetech Sparks host Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Lynx while Kenyatta University (K.U) Oryx welcome Nakuru-based Th3 Swish.