No dates yet for KBF men's final as KPA appeal

The Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men's league playoffs have been crowded by controversy such that a date for the final series is yet to be set. 

While Ulinzi Warriors have qualified for the final after beating Strathmore Blades and Kisumu Lakeside in the semis and quarters respectively, their legality was questioned from the beginning of the playoffs with some quarters arguing that Valentine Nyakinda was ineligible to feature for the soldiers. 

Nyakinda unperturbed by online trolls

Up until when they qualified for the final, no official protest or complaint had been fronted to the federation. However, after Warriors qualification, Lakeside, through their lawyer wrote a demand letter to the federation asking for the soldiers results to be nullified. 

"We are to demand that Valentine Nyakinda was not eligible to play in the playoffs pursuant to clause 7(e) and penalise Ulinzi Basketball Club for fielding an ineligible player, cancel the results and declare Kisumu Lakeside Basketball Club the winner of the match and consequently nullify the results for any other match played by Ulinzi in the playoffs and reschedule the matches to allow Kisumu Lakeside to part in the playoffs being the right Club which qualified and you rigged in Ulinzi," read part of Lakeside's demand letter. 

The Kisumu-based side had threatened to institute legal proceedings against the federation and Ulinzi if their demands were not met within seven days. 

"Since Lakeside went the legal way, we asked forore time to engage our legal team and they should have their reply before the end of this week," said KBF's Secretary General (SG) Ambrose Kisoi. 

Not yet Uhuru for KPA in Equity semis debacle

As the basketball fraternity awaits the response, the series between Equity Bank Dumas and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) had its fair share of drama as the former walked out of Game Five with 59 seconds left on the clock citing security reasons. 

The dockers have, however, appealed a decision to have the match replayed. In their ruling, the leagues and competitions committe adjudged the two teams to have flouted KBF and FIBA rules. KPA are said to have gone against the KBF League and Competitions rules clause 16 (b) while Dumas were in violation of FIBA Official Basketball Rules Art 20 (20.1.3).

"The matter will be heard and determined by an independent disciplinary panel of members well versed with the rules of the game. The initial ruling was a decision of the leagues and competitions committee chaired by the first vice chair of the federation but the independent body's decision will be final," offered Kisoi. 

While the independent committee can have up to 21 days to deliberate on the matter, the SG says they have requested the convener to have the matter heard and decided in in the shortest time possible so as to allow the series to commence. 

"We are hopeful the two matters will be concluded by the end of the week and the dates for the final can be communicated soon after," Kisoi added.