Self-sponsored side romp reach KBF semis after rare victory over Equity

Embakasi Youth (EMYBA) shift their focus to the semi-finals where they are set to play Nairobi City Thunder after stunning Equity Bank in the best-of-three Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men’s league quarter final playoffs to close the series 2-1 for their maiden semis ticket.

 EMYBA who earned their promotion to the premier league this season, alongside Eldonets from Division One, headed to the playoffs as the sixth seeds while Equity Bank finished the regular season in third position. EMYBA coach Brian Busu was up against his former coach, at the defunct Co-operative Bank team, Carey Odhiambo in the paring.

 “It has been a tough season, making our debut in the top flight as a self-sponsored team. We made few additions to the team that was playing in the lower division, adding Zaddock Odhiambo, Dan Okwiri and Salim Ali who injected the much needed experience in the squad,” said Busu.

 According to the tactician, watching videos of Equity Bank went a long way in helping them handle the quarter final matches and they will do the same for the Thunder encounter. The team, just like in the Equity Bank pairing, had lost the two regular season matches against Thunder.

 “We had set a target of escaping relegation and fighting to make the playoffs after promotion. Having achieved the two, some of my players lacked confidence and self belief that they could beat Equity Bank as we had lost all our matches against Equity this season thus the loss in Game One.