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L. MathekaPerfect ending as GSU conclude league with win over Ulinzi
Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 05.03.23. | 20:17
The loss, a first of the season, puts Ulinzi's title chances at risk as rivals NCPB remain unbeaten.
Mark Barasa put on his coaching cap against Ulinzi HC as his side General Service Unit (GSU) faced their last hurdle of the 2022/23 Kenya Handball Federation (KHF) men's league.
To say that his decision making on the touchline is as good as on the court would be an understatement as the coach-cum player out-coached his opposite number Nixon Oyaro to guide GSU to their first win against Ulinzi in a 26-22 outcome.
Gotta love @handball_kenya fans. @unit_general men up against @kdfinfo side Ulinzi HC is some fierce rivalry both on and off the court pic.twitter.com/S3g5F8peAk
— Matheka (@Lynmatheka) March 5, 2023
The eagerly awaited clash had fans from either ends engaged in banter as fierce as the match was on the court but at the end of the day if was GSU who had maximum points while subjecting Ulinzi to their first defeat of the season.
"We had a game plan to throw them (Ulinzi) off as we knew they have studied us well. The decision not to start Christopher Mayende who is one of our best shooters saw them relax. We had the players on the floor take the lead before introducing him on to pick the scores.
Ulinzi are also good in the 3 on 3 defense so the entire week we trained on how to beat that and started players that are good with the body fake attack and it worked for us.
We are happy to have picked our first win over Ulinzi and also concluding the season on a high. We are confident of a top three finish that will give us a good seeding heading into the Super Cup," Barasa offered.
The paramilitary side led 11-09 at half term with Mayende scoring ten goals to propel the side to the rare victory.
In other matches of the day Black Mamba raced to a comfortable 34-25 victory over Boomerang to take their points tally to 28 from 16 matches, having lost two so far.
Kenyatta University also picked a win against Boomerang in a 40-34 outcome and are sixth on 22 points.
Meanwhile, Ulinzi Sharks picked their 15th victory in 17 matches to go second on 30 points. Up against New Hope, the military side played for an easy 61-11 win.
Net Navigators fell to NCPB 18-27 but revenge the loss with a 34-18 victory over Daystar Falcons.
