Hawks pick positives from Zone Five outing

Equity Hawks lost the FIBA Africa Zone Five title to local nemesis Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) two days ago, but coach David Maina is confident the experience will go a long way in helping them fight to retain the local title. 

Hawks headed to the Zone Five championship as the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) women’s champions but the dockers proved a hard nut to crack and they came guns blazing to win the final match 71-35. 

“This season it is no secret we have struggled and have been picking hard-fought wins against teams that would have been easy for us in previous seasons. The Zone Five outing has, however, helped us a great deal. Despite the loss to KPA, the score lines were encouraging and that’s the same momentum I am hoping the players will keep in the upcoming competitions. 

KPA shift focus to KBF title after Zone Five victory

We are set to be preparing for the KBF playoffs as well as the Africa Women’s Club Championships, neither of which has the dates confirmed. It would do some good to the team if one of the competitions would come before the players break for the festive season,” said Maina. 

Hawks are second on the KBF women’s league standings after losing to KPA in the second leg of the season and have their work cut out when they meet in the playoffs. 

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With the two sides likely to face off in the KBF playoff final, it will, however, be interesting to see how the dockers line up against the bankers as four of their top performers in the zone five championships are not eligible to play in the playoffs. 

Victoria Reynolds, Brenda Wasuda, Claire Lamunu and Betty Kalanga cannot turn up for the Mombasa-based club as the rules dictate that a player must have featured in three regular league matches for them to play in the playoffs.