Ulinzi Warriors through to final round of BAL qualifiers
Kenya’s reigning basketball champions Ulinzi Warriors are through to the second and final round of the 2022 Basketball Africa League (BAL) qualifiers.
The Warriors produced a stunning comeback performance in the second half of the game to beat South Sudan champions Cobra Sports Club 53-47 to secure their place in the final qualifying round set for this and next month.
In an entertaining encounter played at the Dar es Salaam Indoor Stadium in Tanzania on Sunday evening, the South Sudanese champions started the match well, racing to an 11-5 lead in the first quarter before stretching their lead to a 10 points lead after taking the second quarter 16-12 to go into the breather leading 27-17.
However, halftime pep talks from seemingly unimpressed coach Williams Balozi looked to spark Warriors to life as they resumed the second stanza as wounded lions, and their renewed vigour saw them take charge of the game, winning the third quarter 18-9 to trail by just a half a basket, 36-35, going into the final 10 minutes of the game.
In the deciding and final fourth-quarter, the Warriors, willing to seal off the show, pressed hard, restricting Cobra to a few errors, and capitalising on them to take the final quarter 18-11, and the invaluable 53-47 victory at full time.
