Positive start for KPA, Thunder as basketball league returns

After a ban on all basketball activities that had threatened to delay the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) 2023/24 season further, action resumed this weekend with holders Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) among the teams in action.

The league had tipped off on 1st September, the same day the order stopping all basketball activities was issued but later lifted.

The dockers opened their season this weekend, away from home, as they took on Africa Nazarene University sides Wolfpack for men and Panthers for the women’s side.

Coach Sammy Kiki who led the men’s side to a 64-47 victory over Mike Oluoch’s Wolfpack says the positive start was great motivation for his squad as they had not trained together in a long while and had only three days in camp to prepare for the season opener.

“I am happy with the result in the first match but we cannot gauge ourselves with that performance as the team just started training. ANU gave us some resistance but my players were able to keep ahead, riding on a brilliant start.

The team is still a work in progress. We have added one player to last year’s roster, UoN Terror’s Pharez Adala, with four more likely to join later and lost John Wiljass to Twende Thunder so we have a bulk of last season’s squad.

With the Basketball Africa League (BAL) assignment coming up, we are going hard in training as we prepare for the same, while looking to get better with each match in the local league,” coach Kiki said.

On their part, Antony Ojukwu’s KPA Ladies had an easy 69-29 win against Panthers, beginning their title defense on a positive note.

Meanwhile, new-look Nairobi City Thunder who have rebranded to Twende Thunder for sponsorship purposes, subjected Wolfpack to their second defeat of the season picking a 98-55 convincing victory.

The side unveiled a star-studded squad earlier in the week that promises to give the other title favourites a run for their money. 

Assistant coach Collins Gaya has tipped the side to be the only team standing at the conclusion of the season as they look to win their maiden national championship.