ANU Panthers' coach Oluoch calls for reset after weekend KNBL wipeout

Africa Nazarene University (ANU) head basketball coach Michael Oluoch says it is time to go back to the drawing board after a tough weekend for the women’s team in the National Women’s Premier League.

The ANU Panthers lost all three of their matches; falling 43-77 to USIU Flames, 41-56 to The Swish, and 41-60 to Stanbic Aces.

“We played badly, we didn’t have confidence, the players were not aggressive but we need to fight again. We need to go back to the drawing board and come up with a better playing style and systems as we prepare for our weekend assignment,” noted Oluoch.

The loss left the students last on the standings with 11 points after losing all their 11 matches played so far.

However, Oluoch was impressed by the men’s side, ANU Wolfpacks, who won two out of the three games they played at the weekend in the National Men’s Premier League.

They defeated USIU Tigers 57-49 and NBK Phoenix 82-74, before losing 61-75 to title contenders Equity Dumas.

“We played very well. I like the way we were focused, everything we were doing was on point,” said Oluoch.

He noted that their loss to Equity Dumas in their last game was due to injuries some of his key players picked in their first two matches.

“We had less manpower and were not able to contain Equity the way we wanted. In the second half, we ended up having a lot of turnovers and fouls and gave them chances that (we) were not supposed to give them. We need to go back and see how we can get our players who had injuries back to form and be ready for the next weekend assignments,” he added.

In their Sunday loss against Dumas, Wolfpacks started on the wrong foot by losing the first quarter 19-22 before the second quarter ended with 13 points. 

After the break, the students lost the third quarter 11-18 before going down again 18-22 in the last quarter to ensure the bankers clinched victory with a score of 75-61.

ANU Wolfpacks are currently ninth on the log with 18 points after winning six games and losing six, while Equity Dumas are fourth with 22 points after 15 matches, winning seven and losing eight.

Weekend Results

Equity Hawks VS Storms – WP – POSTPONED

Equity Dumas 85-72 Umoja – MP

ANU Panthers 43-77 USIU Flames – WP

ANU Wolfpacks 57-49 USIU Tigers – MP

Equity Hawks 75-29 UON Dynamites – WP

Safe Space 54-48 Stanbic Aces – WP

ANU Panthers 41-56 The Swish – WP

ANU Wolfpacks 82-74 NBK Phoenix – MP

USIU Flames 39-58 Equity Hawks – WP

ANU Panthers 41-60 Stanbic Aces – WP

USIU Tigers 60-86 UON Terror – MP

ANU Wolfpacks 61-75 Equity Dumas – MP

Ulinzi Warriors 84-74 Umoja – MP