L. MathekaWinning start for Ulinzi in KBF playoffs
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 22.04.23. | 19:23
Equity Dumas and Nairobi City Thunder have also won their respective pairings against UoN Terror and Blades respectively.
Former Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) league champions Ulinzi Warriors made their away trip to Uasin Gishu count as they got their playoff quarters pairing against Eldonets of to a 71-60 winning start.
The Bernard Mufutu-led military side were returning to a court that has tormented many away teams, against a team that subjected them to one of their six losses in the regular season.
Slated for 10am in the morning, the match had ti be stopped for close to four hours as a heavy downpour interrupted play after just three minutes of play.
That, however, did not deter Warriors who came from 24-22 points behind in the first quarter for the comfortable 71-60 win.
"It was a tough match as Eldonets are hard to beat especially on their own turf. We started slow but after the first quarter the players were able to read the match better and we managed to take the lead and hold on for the win.
Last time we played in Eldoret we lost the match but we picked valuable lessons from the way we handled that match that have proven valuable in the playoff," Mufutu offered after the game adding that the team will embark on preparations for game two.
Eldonets looked comfortable in the first quarter but the soldiers made a turnaround in the second to score 24 while restricting the home side to ten which gave the visitors a 12-point advantage.
The second half was low-scoring for both sides. Warriors trailed 11-07 in the third but recovered to end the match 18-15 for victory.
Shooting guard Eric Mutoro led the scoring with 23 points from 27.31 minutes on the floor with forward Elisha Odhiambo adding 11 to the tally. James Omweno and Meshack Oloo top scored for the home team with 20 and 10 respectively.
Elsewhere, title hopefuls, playing their first match of the best-of-three quarters on Friday night against University of Nairobi (UoN) Terror picked a 87-68 win and puy one foot on the semis.
The other men's match played on Friday night saw Nairobi City Thunder turn the tables on Strathmore University Blades to win game one 64-57.
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