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Kenya: Basketball - Lions Maul Co-Op to Stay Top
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The Nation (Nairobi)
14 May 2008
Posted to the web 14 May 2008
Caxton Apollo
Nairobi
Champions Kenya Commercial Bank Lions maintained their lead atop the men's basketball Premier League with their two-point haul at the weekend.
The bankers stay unbeaten after three matches after beating rivals Co-operative Bank 72-69 at Nyayo Stadium.
Following their victory, KCB Lions lead the standings with six points.
Co-op Bank badly needed to avenge the defeat after losing 2-0 to the Lions in last year's play-offs final. They scared Lions, who took the court without their coach Francis "Officer" Ngunjiri when they raced to a 18-11 first quarter lead.
Two assistant coaches, George Owino and Morris Shitsama, were under pressure in the match. Wycliffe Ochieng and new star Allan Ouma of Co-op Bank stretched Lions to the limit, leading 36-35 at half-time.
It was a see-saw in the last four seconds and the Lions were not sure of the win despite enjoying a narrow 72-69 advantage.
Martin Okwako and Bosire Bogonko were responsible for Co-op Bank's loss after missing four critical free-throws, which would have pushed the game to five minutes of extra-time.
Eagle Wings, handled by coach Juma Kent, who is taking charge of a top side for the first time, collected two points. Wings' 79-61 win over the Flames of the USIU-A saw them lead the women's league standings. They have six points from three consecutive victories.
Former Telkom players led by Caroline "Majeng" Achieng continued to do Wings proud after battling from behind 36-33 at half-time. Achieng scored game-high 20 points, Angella Okoth shot 12 for the Wings while Esther Nyaga had 20 and Neema Waweru 19 for the Flames.
Tigers of USIU had their former star Abel Nson back as they started the new season with a 71-45 win over the fast fading Java Warriors. After the exodus of their experienced players, Java Warriors made no impact as they trailed 34-12 at the breather.
Nson, who had brief stint with KCB Lions last year, scored 23 points while Harun Chan fired 17. Anthony Kamau connected 10 points for Java.
Blazers Posta led by Ken Keya and David Ogolla remained a threat in the men's Division One league when they rocked World Hope 71-65. Both teams joined the competition this year from the Nairobi Basketball Association league but World Hope had the edge, leading 42-34 at half-time. Keya shot 23 points and Ogolla 19 for the winners.
Lomboritz defeated Nairobi Pentecostal Church 54-39 after leading 28-23 at half-time in another lower competition tie. Posta, led by veterans Ben Oluoch and Franklin Delano, looked too smart for the unlucky NPC whom they humiliated 71-44. Ken Njoroge shot 12 points and Delano nine for Posta, who led 34-15 at half-time.
Yana's new coach George Namake got a rude welcome in the women's top league when Sprite Storms pummelled them 43-32. Veteran Namake tried in vain to get a successful plan to stop Storms.
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The winners led 28-14 at half-time. Yana were down 16-9 in the first quarter and still found the going tough at 12-5 in the second quarter of the low scoring encounter.
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