KPA hit Equity Hawks to storm Basketball League Zone 5 Qualifiers semis

KPA alongside other three teams that made it to the semis will fight for the two automatic qualifying slots for the 2024 Women Basketball League Africa (WBLA) previously known as Africa Women Basketball League (AWBL) set for December in Senegal.

The Dockers, who are the reigning silver medallists of the continental showpiece, started the game on a wrong foot losing the first quarter 18-27 before regrouping in the second quarter to win 19-08 as the game went to halftime break with the scores standing at 37-35 in favour of the Dockers.

After the break, both teams came back strong with each scoring 17 each in the third quarter before KPA bounced back with a win of 26-11 in the last quarter as the game ended 80-63 at the final buzzer in KPA’s favour.

Selina Okumu showed stellar performance scoring game high of 17 points as Nkem Akaraiwe and Malu Irebu Grace added 16 and 15 points respectively.

On their side Maryann Nyagaki and new signing Michele Sokoudjou Fotsing were the only players to hit double digits for the bankers as they netted 11 points each.

KPA has a huge task ahead when they face Al Ahly Sporting Club of Egypt in the semifinal match tomorrow while Equity will be playing the classification match against Vijana Queens of Tanzania tomorrow for the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th positioning.

KPA had lost 76-96 to APR of Rwanda in their second match of Group B, a day after hammering Ethiopia’s Hawassa City 128-36 in game one.

On their part Equity Hawks defeated Gladiators of Burundi 73-51 before getting beaten 73-86 by REG of Rwanda. The Bankers went ahead to defeat Fox Divas of Tanzania 87-48 in their last group C matches.

The fixture was a repeat of last year's AWBL Quarter-Finals, a match that KPA won on their way to reaching their first ever final in a continental competition.

However, Equity got their revenge in the Kenyan Premier league, defeating Antony Ojukwu's charges 3-2 to lift the title.

In other matches reigning continental champions, Al Ahly Sporting Club of Egypt went through to the semi-final after a 130-47 win over Vijana Queens of Tanzania.

APR of Rwanda sailed through after a 78-55 win over Gladiators of Burundi while another Rwandan side REG hammered JKL LADY of Uganda 67-52 to qualify to the last four.