Kenya Ports Authority beat JKL Dolphins of Uganda 82-72 in their opening African Women’s Basketball League qualifiers 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda on Sunday.
The match at the iconic BK Arena Kigali saw the porters, last year’s runners-up, lead 19-15 in the first quarters before trailing 18-16 in the second.
After the break, KPA fought hard to take the third quarter by a close 22-21 edge and pushed ahead 25-18 in the decider to carry the day.
“The ladies did well to win it. It’s one game at a time,” Coach Anthony Ojukwu.
Hilda Luvandwa and Victoria Reynolds sunk 18 points each, Medina Okot scored 16 and Aminata Semassekou shot 13.
Rita Imanishime bagged 17 points, veteran Flavio Oketch shot 14 and Hope Akello managed 22 for the Ugandans.
In the local league, Ulinzi Warriors dimmed Platinum Eldonets in a match played in Eldoret. Stephen Simiyu scored 17 points for the soldiers as James Omweno made the hosts’ 11.
At Nyayo Stadium gymnasium, Kenyatta University Pirates trailed 32-26 and went on to lose 55-52 to Umoja.
The ladies’ match saw Strathmore University Swords cut Storms 62-49 while TH3 Swish thrashed University of Nairobi Dynamites 74-33.
“Our outside shooting was really good and so was the defence,” offered Swords coach Ronny Owino.
In the Lower Division, Moischers blanked Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) University 84-41. Safe Spaces beat KCA 61-16 in a ladies’ encounter.
