The 2023 Kenya National Basketball League season will throw off on August 25 with a top four-match card at Nyayo Stadium gymnasium.
This will be the first time in the league’s 35-year history that the four finalists in the two categories will be pitted against one another in the opening fixtures of the season.
Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) fixtures secretary, Joseph Amoko, yesterday revealed that men and women champions Kenya Ports Authority teams will square off against Equity Bank Dumas and Zetech University Sparks.
KPA teams won the playoff finals games against the two Nairobi sides, winning 3-1 and 3-0 in the best-of-five games series respectively at their Makande Welfare hall in Mombasa.
“We want to start off from where we left off in June. I am lining up mouth-watering fixtures that are crowd pullers. We want to have fans back streaming back on that opening Friday,” Amoko said.
He added, “I am working on the fixtures and will release them soon so that participating teams can have ample time to prepare for their opponents.”
Amoko said the team managers meeting is set for August 5 to iron out a few issues that were raised by teams and chart the way forward including whether or not to change the format of play.
“During our executive meeting yesterday (Wednesday), we deliberated on many issues that affect the game and we will discuss with the managers when we meet on that day,” said Amoko.
KBF agreed all teams will this time round make arrangements to pay their league fees upfront before the league commences. This will help the federation pay match venues and referees in time.
“One thing we also agreed on is that it will be mandatory for all teams to make league payments before the league tips off. If you don’t pay, then you don’t play,” he said.
On whether or not they will change the playing format and introduce the conference, he said, this will come out clearly during the meeting.
“It is the stakeholders themselves who will decide on this move. If they ascent to it, then we will divide the league into two conferences—Eastern and Western. But we will see how it goes.”
Amoko projects the first leg will end in December with the return leg coming to a close in April before giving way for the post-season games.
