KPA, Equity set for Zone Five championship in September

The top two women’s basketball sides in the country Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Equity Hawks are set to represent the country at the Zone Five club championship set for September. 

Zone Five preliminaries serve as the qualifiers for FIBA Africa Women Champions Cup. The competition is scheduled for 26 September to 1 October in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 

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With the finalists set to qualify for the final tour of the Cup set for Mozambique between 9 and 18 December 2022, the two Kenyan representatives will hope to bag the two slots. 

"We have confirmations from the Kenyan sides, one team from Egypt and the hosts too. Burundi are also expected to field their sides while Rwanda have confirmed participation but are yet to name the teams that will be in Tanzania. We are expecting more entries as the championship nears," confirmed Zone Five Secretary General Vitalis Gode. 

In the last outing, played at the same venue in November last year, the dockers were a cut above their opponents as they went on an unbeaten streak to clinch the title in the championship played in a six-team round-robin format. 

The two Kenyan sides were unbeaten in the fourth matches, making their clash on the final day the championship decider. 

A star-studded KPA were unstoppable as they whitewashed Hawks 71-35 in the decisive tie to be crowned the 2021 Fiba Africa Zone Club champions. The two sides had booked tickets to the final tour which was not played. 

In that championship, coach Antony Ojukwu had enlisted the services of Victoria Reynolds, Claire Lamunu and and Betty Kalanga all who do not feature for the side and they proved a hard nut to crack.

Hawks, who at the time were the KBF women's league champions, had elected to field their league players.

The dynamics for this year's championship will, however, be different as both sides have slightly tinkered squads. More countries are also expected to field teams. 

Linda Alando and Belinda Okoth who suited for the bankers in Dar es Salaam last time out have since switched allegiance and will now line up for Ojukwu who also has the services of Jemimah Omondi who signed for Storms. 

Hawks have roped in experienced Silalei Shani and Linet Atieno from Eagle Wings and Srorms respectively, adding to their depth. Annrose Mandela is also available, having missed part of last season's action including the playoff final that KPA won 3-1.