Kenya Ports Authority romped into the Africa Women’s Basketball League semifinals after stopping compatriots Equity Bank Hawks 81-66 in a tough clash in Alexandria, Cairo.
This all-Kenyan quarterfinal got off to a cagey start with both teams struggling to hit the target in the first quarter. KPA led 4-0 lead. Hawks regrouped and flew past for a 5-4 advantage with five minutes to go.
Aminata Samessekou’s three-pointer saw KPA take a 14-7 first-quarter advantage that gave them some composure. They never looked back. KPA got their groove as soon as the second quarter started as they coasted to a 16-7 cushion and built a 37-17 margin on efforts by Victoria Reynolds and a three-pointer play by Media Okot.
As the bankers struggled for grip, Hilda Indasi buried a three from the top of the key that saw the scores swell to 44-23 at halftime.
Equity seemed to be on a free fall. After Dyan Pierre missed a last foul shot, Okot picked the rebound and made it 46-23. She hit the target again and again as they rose to 50-23.
But Hawks didn’t collapse despite that KPA surge. They charged back on a 18-0 scoring run to close in at 61-55. Then the irrepressible Okot went to work, scoring at will. With three minutes left, KPA shot up 76-57.
Okot tallied game-high 31 points and pulled down 17 rebounds, Reynolds managed 11. Debra Obunga registered 16, Christine Akinyi shot 15 and Betty Kananu hit 11 for the Hawks, who dropped to the classification matches.
In another quarterfinal, Rwanda Energy Group of Rwanda dismantled Universite de Douala 85-54 while CNSS of DR Congo beat ASAP of Benin 70-46 in a classification game for position 9/10.
KPA finished second in Group A which consisted of Alexandria Sporting Club and Customs (Nigeria). Overdose Up Station (Cameroon) and CNSS (DR Congo).
Hawks on the other hand were placed third in Group B which also had Rwanda Energy Group (Rwanda), Interclube (Angola), Universite de Douala (Cameroon) and ASPAC (Benin).
There have been other all Kenya affairs in the championships in the past championships. Eagle Wings doused United States International University (USIU) Flames 83-66 in Meknes, Morocco in 2013 and went on to bring home Kenya’s only bronze medal.
KPA met Equity Bank Hawks in 2017 in Luanda, Angola, in the classification round of the competition and again it was KPA who emerged victorious with a 63-39 demolition.
