Equity hawks Betty Kananu vies for the ball from KPA's Natalie Akinyi/ HANDOUT
Zetech Sparks head coach Maurice Obilo believes they are ready to make history
when they face Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the Kenya Basketball
Federation (KBF) women’s league best-of-five playoff finals this weekend.
This comes as they
swept past Strathmore University Swords 3-0 in the semifinals. “We
have shown great character in the playoffs, and this is a big moment
for the girls. We respect KPA because of their pedigree, but we are not
here by chance,” he said.
His side prepares to challenge a team that has dominated the league in previous years. The Dockers, coached by Antony Ojukwu, reached the final after edging out defending champions Equity Hawks 3-1 in a series where they recovered from a Game One loss to win three straight matches.
That comeback
underlined KPA’s experience and resilience, qualities they now look to
impose on a youthful Sparks outfit bidding to become only the second
university team to lift the title after USIU Flames achieved the feat in
2014.
Both sides have already sealed qualification to the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) Zone Five qualifiers set for October in Zanzibar, and Sparks will be making their debut. For now, however, the focus shifts to domestic glory in what promises to be a gripping battle of styles and ambitions.
For
Sparks, the charge has been led by key performers who have stepped up
when it mattered most. In the decisive semifinal against Swords, captain
Michele Sokoudjou and forward Christine Akinyi each dropped 20 points
to close out the sweep, while Angie Akinyi fell just short of a
double-double after pulling down 14 rebounds.
Obilo also expects impact from Beryl Otieno, whose Game Two heroics in the varsity derby included a monster double-double of 15 points and 21 rebounds as Sparks stormed to a 76-46 win, with Sokoudjou adding 28 points in that emphatic victory. “Our strength has been teamwork,” Obilo noted.
“We have different players who can step up in different moments, and that’s what we are banking on because finals require depth and mental strength.”
Standing in their way is a KPA side steeped in championship experience
and eager to reclaim the crown they lost to the Hawks last season. The
Dockers, who have often used their physicality and depth to dominate,
will lean on the brilliance of Ivorian guard Alima Doumbia and Malian
forward Aminata Samasekou.
The two combine size, skill and leadership in a
squad that blends seasoned campaigners with emerging talent. Ojukwu
is wary of Sparks’ energy and confidence but believes his players
understand the weight of the occasion.
“Sparks are a good team, and
they’ve had an excellent run, but finals are a different stage. We have
been here before, and we know what it takes to win,” he said, as the
Dockers aim to add another chapter to their illustrious history.
The
last time the two sides clashed in a final, KPA denied Sparks and
celebrated in style, reinforcing the gap between the students and the
league giants.
That gap has since narrowed, setting up a
narrative of whether history will be rewritten by a varsity team chasing
greatness, or if KPA’s dominance will prevail once more.
Game
One tips off this weekend, setting the tone for a series that could
define the rise of a new force or the return of an old guard determined
to keep its throne.
