Nairobi Basketball Association (NBA) champions Stanbic Bank Shields will play in the national league Division Two next year.
Ronny Owino, the NBA chairman confirmed the development saying the bankers will not be involved in the provincial playoffs in Kisumu next weekend.
Runners-up Moi Air Base (MAB) and third-placed Moischers as well as Multi Media University (MMU) women's side will be involved in the tournament.
"As Nairobi champions, we have agreed with Kenya Basketball Federation that Stanbic Bank will get a direct promotion to the second tier," said Owino.
"NBA women winners Safe Spaces and runners up Gladiators opted out of the lakeside town show and so we decided to give MMU, who were third, a chance."
The bankers won the title unbeaten sweeping MAB 3-0 in the best of five-game final series. Safe Spaces bagged the women's crown with a 3-2 series win over Gladiators.
The NBA presentation was done at Nairobi Railways Club with Dan Lubutse (Stanbic) and Angeth Deng (Safe Spaces) bagging Most Valuable Player (MVP) honours. Michael Riziki of Stanbic Bank was declared the best men's team manager. Gladiators Rachel Makena got the women's award.
Owino said during the ceremony that NBA teams that did not clear their payments will be locked next year 'as there are many requests from new clubs.'
