Ulinzi shoot down Lakeside in Kisumu

Former Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men's league champions Ulinzi Warriors continued their unbeaten run, since the return to action this year, with a 61-52 win over playoff-hopefuls Kisumu Lakeside. 

The match played at Kisumu Sports Club on Sunday 19 February was the 19th for the Bernard Mufutu-led military side this season and their 15th victory, taking their points tally to 34 with three matches left on their regular league campaign. 

"This was a tough match. Hats off to Lakeside for the match they played. This just goes to show the competitiveness of the league. At the end of the day, it came down to mental strength and my players came out top," Warriors assistant coach Esther Butali offered. 

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Warriors' shooting guard Eric Mutoro was on a roll against the stubborn Kisumu-based side as he scored 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists to propel his side to victory. 

Lakeside, who have been Warriors' kryptonite came out guns blazing from the get go and were ahead 14-9 in the first quarter as Justus Okitoyi and Denis Wekesa led the onslaught. 

Mufutu's charges tried to fight for the lead but there was no stopping Kisumu in the second quarter as the hosts scored 11 against the military side's seven to head to the break with a nine-point deficit. 

Whatever pep-talk Mufutu and his assistant Butali had with their charges on the break worked as they turned the tables on Lakeside in the second half, denying the Moses Wanjara-led side a victory that would have boosted their hopes of making it to the playoffs. 

Warriors scored 24 in the third quarter, while restricting Lakeside to 17 and that cut the lead to just a basket with an entire quarter to play. 

Elisha Odhiambo's 12 points and five rebounds coupled with Derrick Ochieng's nine points pushed Warriors past Lakeside for the nine-point win. 

Mufutu missed the service of forwards Joseph Owino and Antonio Bwire (to whom they dedicated today's win as he mourns his late dad) as well as Churchill Odhiambo but that seemed not to bother the tactician as his charges fought for the win. 

Meanwhile, Lakeside's Wanjara says better preparations are needed ahead of their remaining matches if they ate to make the top-eight for a playoff slot. 

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"Endurance was our main undoing against Warriors. Being a self-sponsored side, it is difficult to get more than three days to prepare for matches. 

It is impressive that with the kind of preparations we have had, we managed to give a side as experienced as Ulinzi is, a run for their money until the final period where they assumed lead and ran with the win.

This is a good place to gauge ourselves from and with better training, I am confident we can pick wins in the remaining matches," Wanjara said.

Okitoyi scored 13 with Wekesa adding 11 and skipper Sila Awuor on eight points same as John Brian in the loss.