Equity storms into finals
The best-of-five final series is set to get underway in Nairobi on May 27 where Equity Dumas will face off with defending champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
The bankers saw off former champions Ulinzi Warriors 3-1 in the best-of-five semis series on Sunday, winning game four 90-63 in a show of absolute dominance to book a ticket to the final.
The well attended thrilling match pitting Equity Dumas and Ulinzi Warriors was attended by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, his ICT counterpat Eliud Owalo, Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) chairman Paul Otula as well as several Equity Bank bosses led by Gerald Gachoka Warui.
The first two final play-off matches will be held in Nairobi before concluding in Mombasa with game three through to five.
Dumas gave what is arguably their best performance of the season when it mattered to whitewash Warriors and avoid a decider Game Five. Lenson Kisia, who has been Dumas’ secret weapon all season led the onslaught with 18 points as Faheem Juma sunk 19.
James Mwangi and Victor Ochieng added 14 and 11 points respectively.
“After faltering in game three, something had to give and I am happy everyone stepped up in this match. It was a cagey affair in the first quarter but we took control of the floor and went ahead in the second quarter, scoring 31 to change the trajectory of the match. This was what I expected from the players and as we head to final I remain optimistic that everyone will have the same fire and hunger for a championship,” offered coach Odhiambo.
His sentiments were echoed by long-serving Equity tactician who currently holds the technical director role, David Maina.
Maina has been in charge of Equity Hawks, the women’s side, since 2013, guiding them to three titles but was roped in the men’s team in 2020 after the team failed to go past the last eight in two seasons.
“The team has been on an upward trajectory and this is a big achievement. There was teamwork all round in Sunday’s game and the hunger to be in our first ever final was evident. We are not settling on being in the final, we are going for the title,” Maina offered.
As the bankers prepare to take on the holders who held them in the first leg of the regular season but they overturned the result in the repeat leg winning the clash by a basket, Maina acknowledges that they have work to do.
“We go back to our stats of the regular season and work on a few things. Top of the list is getting our defense right. I believe we can match KPA offensively. We also have to insist on playing as a unit as that made all the difference in the semis. We have what it takes to win the title and everyone has the hunger to achieve that feat in our first time of asking,” Maina concluded.
The best-of-five final series gets underway in Nairobi on May 27 with the first two matches before concluding in Mombasa with Game Three through to Five.
