Defending champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) secured a resounding 80-63 victory over rivals Equity Hawks to advance to the semi-finals of the FIBA Women’s Basketball League Zone Five African Qualifiers, held at Tanzania’s Amaan Indoor Arena.
KPA now joins three other teams in the semi-final round, each vying for one of the two coveted spots in the 2024 Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA), set to take place in December in Senegal.
Formerly known as the Africa Women’s Basketball League (AWBL), the WBLA offers KPA an opportunity to continue building on their success as reigning silver medalists in last year’s continental event.
Despite a slow start that saw them fall behind 18-27 in the first quarter, KPA regrouped quickly in the second quarter, turning the tables with a solid 19-08 performance. They headed into halftime leading by a slim margin at 37-35. Both teams fought hard in the third quarter, matching each other point-for-point to finish 17-17. However, KPA found another gear in the fourth quarter, outscoring Equity 26-11 to close the game with a commanding 80-63 win.
KPA’s offensive strength was led by Selina Okumu, who posted a game-high 17 points, while teammates Nkem Akaraiwe and Malu Irebu Grace added 16 and 15 points, respectively. Equity Hawks’ top scorers, Maryann Nyagaki and newcomer Michele Sokoudjou Fotsing, each managed 11 points but were unable to overcome KPA’s late surge.
KPA faces a high-stakes semi-final matchup against Egypt’s Al Ahly Sporting Club tomorrow, while Equity will play Vijana Queens of Tanzania in a classification round to determine the final tournament rankings.
The Dockers have had a strong run in the qualifiers, previously defeating Ethiopia’s Hawassa City 128-36 in their opener, though they later fell 76-96 to APR of Rwanda. Equity Hawks also had a competitive group stage, winning against Burundi’s Gladiators 73-51 and Tanzania’s Fox Divas 87-48 but facing a setback with a 73-86 loss to Rwanda’s REG.
In a rematch of last year’s AWBL Quarter-Finals, KPA’s recent victory against Equity Hawks mirrored their win in that decisive 2022 encounter, propelling them toward their first continental final. However, Equity earned redemption earlier this season by defeating KPA 3-2 to claim the Kenyan Premier League title.
Elsewhere in the tournament, defending champions Al Ahly from Egypt powered into the semi-finals with a dominant 130-47 win over Tanzania’s Vijana Queens. Rwanda’s APR defeated Burundi’s Gladiators 78-55, and REG, another Rwandan team, cruised past Uganda’s JKL Lady with a 67-52 victory to complete the final four lineup.
