Zetech University Sparks coach Maurice Obilo in happy to bag maximum points against Equity Bank Hawks even though the performance was not convincing.
The high-riding students nipped the bankers 43-41 in a low-scoring top-of-the-bill Kenya National Basketball League (KNBL) women’s clash at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday.
Obilo said the team has not trained together for some time as some of his players turned out for Hawks and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) at the FIBA Africa Zone Five Club Championships in Kigali, Rwanda.
“We played well even though we have not had team training for quite some time. We have several injuries from the national team, four to five featured for Equity and KPA at the Zone Five championships while some have moved to Swish,” said Obilo.
Sparks swept Hawks 3-0 in last year’s playoff semis before falling to KPA in the finals.
“I am just trying to recoup and to see who is working best with who. We were not at our best but we thank God we got the win. We will build from that as head for the next games,” he said.
He said the rebuilding involves promoting Angela Akinyi and Britney Nafula from their Division One team. On Sunday, Sparks went up 10-5 in the first quarter, Hawks took the second 10-7 and third 18-16 before the students claimed the deciding stanza 10-9
National team star, Medina Okot scored a game-high 19 points as Chatel Kiyobe added 10 for Sparks. Hawks were led by another national team player, Maryann Nyagaki, who scored 13 points.
In the Lower Divison matches played at the Kenyatta Sports grounds Kisumu, Stabic Shields beat Lakeside 50-45 while Stanbic Aces won 62-41 and 65-27 over Lady Bucks and Western Delight respectively.
