NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 21 – Madina Okot put in a sterling show in the final two quarters of the game, as Zetech University drew first blood in Game One of the semi-finals of the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) Women’s Premier League.
Okot, who is headed to the United States after the end of the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) Premier League season single-handedly turned the game around, as the Zetech Sparks came from down to hit Equity Hawks 62-50 at the Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium.
Okot tallied a double-double of 29 points and a massive 21 rebounds, with four assists to her stats of the night, in a brilliant performance by the University girls.
All through the opening two quarters of the game, Equity, with zeal and determination to win, had executed their game plan to the t.
Valerie Kemunto, alternating with Maryanne Nyagaki had done the splendid job of shushing Madina, walking on her trail every step of the court she took.
They had managed to keep her quiet, as she seldom found space to move, thanks to some good defense by the two centre players.
Madina engineers comeback for Zetech
The Sparks trailed by 10 points at the end of the first quarter and seven by halftime, but the turned the game on its head with an enviable second half performance to win the game by an eight-point margin.
“Today I give it to the girls. It is purely the work they put on the court. We started slow but they had the mental fortitude to come back and win the game. It is amazing what they have done,” Zetech head coach Maurice Obillo said.
Without their newest star Mitchelle Soukoudjou, who has been barred from playing over technicalities, everyone thought they would crumble under pressure and indeed, it seemed so as they trailed 16-6 at the end of the opening quarter.
They had lost Mary Lisa Omondi to USIU just before the end of the regular season and believed the coming in of Cameroonian Soukoudjou would offer them relief, but she was blocked from playing leaving coach Obillo without an energetic point guard.
Kananu tries to put Equity in the game
In the second quarter, Zetech rallied and came as close as 24-18, but Betty Kananu, who was Equity’s only double-digit scorer in the game with 12, struck from downtown to take the game to a nine-point lead.
Ultimately, the two went to the halftime break with the bankers leading 30-23.
In the third quarter, the rain started beating Equity. Madina was causing havoc in both sides of the board, and with 5:27 to play, they had come to within three points, with the scores at 32-29 in favour of the bankers.
The break couldn’t help Equity as Madina continued oozing class, and she took Zetech to the lead for the first time at 33-32. Christine Akinyi then pulled Zetech clear with a foul and a basket and by the end of the quarter, they had taken a five-point lead with scores at 40-35.
Zetech relentless in hunt for win
In the last quarter, Zetech were determined to get the game to bed and Madina struck from downtown as they opened a 12 point lead after a 7-0 scoring run.
Kananu dropped back to back buckets, to squeeze the gap to seven points, but Zetech were having none of it. At the buzzer, Chantal Kiyobe put the game to rest with a beauty from downtown as Zetech took the 1-0 advantage with game two on Sunday.
The Hawks, who have recruited well during the mid-season window will not relent on their quest to reclaim the championship, and will definitely bring their A-game in game two, same venue Sunday.
