Eagle Wings on Sunday reclaimed their Kenya basketball title they last won in 2009. The new champions fought hard to a well deserved 85-65 win in the tie breaker to win 2-0 over defending champions KPA.KPA won the opening match of the best of three in Mombasa but failed to hold on to the lead losing the final two matches in Nairobi to surrender the trophy to Eagle Wings.
The first quarter of the highly charged game was packed with great tension with both teams more threatening on defense than on offense but Wings went ahead to win 17-11. KPA gathered good strength at the beginning of the second quarter following a great combination between Brenda Angeshi and Joyce Makhungu who both worked hard to expose Wings’ defense ending the second quarter 15-18 in favor of the dock women.
The second half was technical with both teams trying to beat the other on first breaks but Wings duo of Shani Silalei and Angela Okoth would have none of KPA’s advances thwarting all their efforts while Wings forced their way into making even strongly contested lay-ups.Rabecca Sarange and Most Valuable player of the season Samba Mjomba were also in top form. Wings finished the third quarter clinically with a 26-18 win to open an eleven point lead that stirred excitement among the relatively large crowd.
KPA began the fourth quarter like a side that were out to erase the eleven point deficit burying two early baskets that sent discomfort in the Wings bench but coach ‘Smart’ had his offensive charm on Everlyne Norah and Samba Mjomba who combined to tear KPA’s defense apart while restricting the dock women to 18 points against their 27.
Angela Okoth and Nyikal however stole the show in the last two minutes nailing back-to-back three point shots that gave them an unassailable 15 point lead that was wrapped up by a basket from the brilliant Silalei thus inflicting more misery to the defending champions who watched their title soar up with Wings.
Samba Mjomba and Angela Okoth buried 22 and 19 points in their side’s tally while Hellen Oketch who struggled to impose her usual authority bagged 14 points for KPA.
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Eagle Wings soar past champions KPA to force tie breaker