Kenya Ports Authority dimmed Nile Legends of Southern Sudan 70-49 to top their FIBA Africa Women’s Basketball League (AWBL) Zone Five Group ‘B’ qualifiers at the LDK Lyncee gymnasium in Kigali, Rwanda.
The porters will now take on the last team from Pool ‘A’ in the quarter-finals set for today. The other Kenyan team, Equity Bank, who also remained unbeaten, were due to play Rwandese side APR in their last game of the day.
“So far, so good. The girls have played as a unit from Day One which is good for us. We respect all the teams in this competition but we don’t fear them,” offered KPA coach Anthony Ojukwu.
“We have now reached the knockout stage of the tournament and it is going to be a different ball game. Going forward now, we will embrace the ‘one game at a time’ kind of approach.”
KPA starters Morgan Taylor, Natalie Akinyi, Selina Okumu, Medina Okot and Victoria Reynolds went to work straight away as the porters took a 17-7 first-quarter advantage.
But the South Sudanese dug deep in the second quarter and took a 15-13 cushion. However, despite their effort, they still went on to trail 30-22at the breather.
In the third quarter, KPA sailed away with a strong 22-14 charge and did enough to stem the Legends’ tide with a 18-13 edge in the deciding quarter.
Aminata Samassekou nailed 16 points, Victoria Reynolds bagged 14 as Hilda Luvandwa added 13 for KPA. Brenda Kayaga shot 14, Nivin Lokuku 12. Rhoda Nagita posted 10 for the losers.
In the absence of champions Alexandria Sporting Club of Egypt, the Kenyan giants have dominated the show as they eye the tickets that will propel the two top teams to the finals slated for Cairo next month.
Equity Bank Hawks, the other Kenyan side in the show, also continue to impressive, having maintained an unbeaten run in the eight-team competition.
KPA thumped REG 72-42. A dominant deciding quarter saw them easily cruise away 23-7. Victoria Reynolds grabbed 20 points while Medina Okot had 19. They also dismissed JKT of Tanzania 105-43 as Aminata Samasseko buried 19.
Hawks on the other hand, beat Gladiators of Burundi 77-45. Grace Malu scored 19 points, Christine Akinyi 16 and Betty Kananu 13. Equity also dismissed Vijana Queens of Tanzania 98-66 in their opening match.
