Lakeside go down fighting in league opener

Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 06.03.21. | 16:32

Griffon Ligare inspires Nairobi City Thunder past Kisumu Lakeside.

Nairobi City Thunder's skipper Griffin Ligare contributed 26 points, including seven three-pointers as his side beat Kisumu Lakeside 69-52 in what was the teams' first match of the season in KBF Premier League action on Saturday.

Lakeside started the match on a high with Ocholla Brian and John Brian hitting threes late in the first quarter to hand their side a three-point lead in a 16-13 outcome in the first period. 

Thunder snapped to action in the second quarter as Ligare scored three treys to help his side manage 19 points against Lakeside's seven for a nine-point lead going to the breather.

On resumption, Thunder kept their foot on the pedal and they ran rings around the Alex Okoa-coached Kisumu side to score 21 points against nine. 

In the final quarter where Thunder's top scorer, Ligare did not play, Lakeside scored 20 against the eventual winner's 16 but it was too little too late for the visitors to squeeze in a win. Their top scorer Silas Awuor painfully watched as his 18 points went down the drain in the loss. 

"We might have won by 17 points but that scoreline is not reflective of our current form. We have a lot of work to do before we can play at our full potential. We did not have a proper pre-season and we are struggling with plays. We also have new recruits that are yet to gel with the rest of the squad. Right now we are riding on individual brilliance to keep action going. After our Sunday match we will regroup and begin training with a clear picture of what needs to be worked on," said Thunder head coach Sadat Gaya who had to suit up for the match. 

His opposite number, Okoa blamed poor preparations before the match for the loss adding that they will be on a redemption path in their Sunday match against Embakasi Youth Basketball Association (EMYBA). 

"We arrived late at the match venue and had no time for our pre-match warm-up. That affected us mentally and physically. We also missed easy baskets and our rebounding will definitely need working on," said Okoa. 


tags

Kenya Basketball FederationKenya Basketball Federation Premier LeagueNairobi City ThunderKisumu Lakeside

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