NAIROBI, Kenya, May 26 – Kenya Ports Authority have drawn first blood against Equity Dumas in the final of the Men’s Kenya National Basketball Premier League after winning game one of the best-of-five series 62-53 at the Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on Friday night.
Starting the first two games away from home, the dockers have put themselves in a good pedestal to kick off their hunt for the title, and could put one hand on the trophy if they win Game Two at the same venue on Saturday.
Job Byron put up a sterling performance for KPA, sinking 18 points, with two other players, Eugene Adera and Martin Kitongo also registering double digit points, with 11 each.
Victor Bosire was Equity’s main man as he amassed 16 points, but it wasn’t enough to bail out his side, and they now need to put up a massive performance in Saturday’s duel.
The first two quarters were closely contested, the two teams ending the opener 18-ups, before KPA went ahead by half a basket at halftime, scores standing at 33-32.
But after the interval, it was the visitors from Mombasa who got more on their end of the stick, as they opened up a five point gap before extending it to nine by the final whistle.
Equity tried to push in to close the gap in the last quarter with Bosire, Faheem Juma and James Mwangi rallying the side, but they couldn’t come back.
Meanwhile, the race for promotion between two varsity sides, Strathmore and United States International University (USIU) also started off on an intense note, the latter winning by a single basket, the game ending 64-62.
On Saturday, the two will duel in Game Two, while the Women’s Premier League series will also start with defending champions KPA taking on first timers Zetech University.