Basketball: Ojukwu banking on experience in chase for KBF double

Coach Antony Ojukwu has guided Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) women’s side to an unbeaten run in the regular basketball season and the streak continues into the playoffs where they have qualified for the final.

While winning yet another title with the women’s side would have been top priority for the tactician, he has been added more responsibility by his employer, taking charge of the men’s team in the playoffs as Sammy Kiki has assumed the assistant coach role.

As the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) final playoffs get underway this weekend in Nairobi, coach Ojukwu goes up against debutants in both the men and women’s campaigns as his sides face Equity Dumas and Zetech Sparks respectively.

“It will an hounour to guide KPA to yet another double but it will not be easy. The two sides may be making their debut in the final but they are not weak. We have a lot of respect for both sides as they have demonstrated they are good enough on their way to the final. However, I go to battel with experienced squads and I believe that will give us an edge, with all due respect to the opponents,” Ojukwu offered.

In the women’s league, KPA boast of an experienced squad that has been at the helm for years while coach Maurice Obilo’s Sparks are riding on a young squad eager to write their names in history, and play they can, no doubt.

With the exit of Deborah Obunga from the varsity side before the end of the transfer window to join Equity Hawks, Maureen Bosibori remains the most experienced player for Obilo.

The tactician, however, gained an invaluable baller in Madina Okot who joined the varsity side from KPA and could prove the difference in the Sparks’ fairytale season.

Enroute to the final, Sparks saw off Africa Nazarene University (ANU) Panthers 2-0 in the quarters before sweeping former champions Equity Hawks 3-0 (Game One 75-72, Game Two 73-59 and Game Three 70-40) in the best-of-five semis series.

The dockers, on their part continued their unbeaten run with a 2-0 win over Kenyatta University Lynx in the quarters and a 3-0 (Game One 78-34, Game Two 72-39 and Game Three 69-47) win over Strathmore Swords in the semis.

In the men’s final, Ojukwu guides a side that lost once in the playoffs, a Game Two 73-71 performance against Nairobi City Thunder in the semis. They face Dumas who also picked a similar score line, 3-1 (Game One 69-58, Game Two 73-66, Game Three 66-68 and Game Four 90-63) against former champions Warriors in the semis.

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The bankers, while considered the underdogs as this is their first time in the final, are not short of championship-winning players. This season they signed James Mwangi and Victor Bosire from Warriors adding to their depth.

They also have Victor Ochieng and Moses Wanjara who won the title with KPA three seasons in a row before decamping to the Carey Odhiambo-led side in 2019. Veteran Titus Musembi has done it with the defunct Co-Operative Bank.

What’s more, Odhiambo has the services of the ever-fresh Faheem Juma who came close with Thunder in 2019, losing against eventual winners Warriors in the semis. Lenson Kisia is also a new revelation for the bankers this season, making the side no pushovers in their chase for a maiden title.