Kenya Ports Authority Women Yesterday Edged out star studded Rwanda Energy Group (REG) Women BBC 101-97 to become the first side to qualify for the final of the inaugural FIBA Africa Women’s Basketball League, which ends in Alexandria, Egypt, today.
KPA Women, Who are coached by a Nigerian, Anthony Ojukwu had in the quarterfinals, ousted their Domestic Rivals, Equity Bank Hawks; and their progression to the final, makes them the first Kenyan team to reach the final of a FIBA Africa Clubs Competition.
The semi-final which pitted the two East African powerhouses against each other, was a repeat of Zone 5 qualifiers final, after which the sides became the first to punch their tickets for the finals of the newook tournament.
Skipper Natalie Mwangale led her side by example, scoring 8 three-point shots and only once on the paint for 26 points, completing a rare double-double with 13 assists and going one rebound shy of a triple-double.
Victoria Reynolds added 26 points as Hilda Indasi, Rita Aluoch and Madina Okot all managed double digits in points with 15,14 and 12 respectively.
“We had a game plan that I am happy my players stuck to and executed it well, and making adjustments where necessary and in the end we emerged victorious,” an elated coach Ojukwu said after the match.
The Kenyan champions will in the final slated for tonight face hosts, Sporting Club of Alexandria; who also rained down a century of baskets in their 100-74 victory over Inter-Clube of Angola.
Sporting Club, winners of the last edition of the African Women’s Club championship, in Mozambique; before it was rebranded and renamed as AWBL, led the Angolan side 53-36 at halftime.
Inter-Clube which sent Nigeria Customs crashing out of the championship on Saturday, will next slug it out with REG Women’s BBC of Rwanda in the playoff for 3rd and 4th, today.
Prior to that Nigeria Customs Ladies and Equity Bank Hawks of Kenya will take to the pitch in the classifier for 5th and 6th positions.
In the first classification match for positions 5th to 8th, Equity Bank Hawks of Kenya defeated Université de Douala of Cameroun 71-45, winning all four periods in the process; 11-18, 12-19, 11-17 and 11-17.
DR Congo side CNSS won the playoff for 9th and 10th position, by trouncing the second entrant from Zone 3, ASPAC Cotonou 70-46. The fixture was remarkable in the sense that both sides, had failed to record a win in all of their previous games.
