• Another Kenyan side, Equity Bank Hawks, were sixth after they suffered an 83-53 defeat at the hands of Customs of Nigeria.
• Dream Girls and Multi Media University (MMU) won the Nairobi Basketball Association (NBA) league titles after beating Titans and Don Bosco respectively in the play-off finals.
Image: HANDOUT
Kenya Ports Authority women’s team making a podium finish in the inaugural Africa Women’s Basketball League in Alexandria, Egypt, sums up 2023.
The porters’ silver medal is the country’s second club basketball medal after Eagle Wings won a bronze in Menkes, Morocco, in 2013.
KPA went down 103-59 to hosts Alexandria Sporting Club in the final of the 10-team tournament. It was the Egyptians' second championship win in a row after defending the title they won in Maputo, Mozambique, in 2022.
Madina Okot hauled 77 boards and was declared the event’s top rebounder. Victoria Reynolds was another KPA star performer to join Okot in the tournament’s best five.
The duo joined the event’s Most Valuable Player, Cierra Dillard of ASC, her teammate Hager Amer and Destiney Promise of Rwanda Energy Group.
Another Kenyan side, Equity Bank Hawks, were sixth after they suffered an 83-53 defeat at the hands of Customs of Nigeria. Interclube of Angola grabbed the bronze medal after they dismissed REG 83-68.
Universite de Douala were seventh ahead of Overdose Up Station (Cameroon), CNSS (DR Congo) and ASPAC (Benin).
Zone Five
KPA also won the FIBA Africa Zone Five competition after beating home team Rwanda Energy. Hawks were third as the trio bagged tickets for the Africa Women’s Basketball League. Coach Anthony Ojukwu said the win was a big achievement and was glad to lose to a better team.
“It was a good outing. We did well and the ladies gave their best,” he said.
3X3
Natalie Akinyi drained a last-gasp three-pointer silenced home team Egypt 21-20 to win the Africa Cup and move closer to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The team travel to Japan in May for the Universality–driven Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The other members of the team were Okot, Mercy Wanyama and Hilda Indasi. Upon their return to the country, the team was rewarded by Sports CS Ababu Namwamba who gave the four players 200,00 each for their feat.
Basketball Africa League
KPA men went to Dar Es Salaam for their third Road to Basketball Africa League but lost the sole ticket to Tanzania’s Pazi Club, finishing third. Dynamo of Rwanda were second while Elan Coton of Benin finished bottom of the table.
League
KPA men and women’s team won the national play-off finals at their Makande Welfare Hall backyard in Mombasa, silencing Equity Bank Dumas and Zetech University Sparks respectively for the crowns. The students were the game’s revelation after they defied all the odds to knock out seasoned campaigners Equity Bank Hawks.
NBA
Dream Girls and Multi Media University (MMU) won the Nairobi Basketball Association (NBA) league titles after beating Titans and Don Bosco respectively in the play-off finals.
They will, alongside other county teams, battle for promotion to the KNBL lower tier during the inter-provincial championships slated for Asumbi, Homa Bay, next month.