Advertise

Advertise

Win or go home: USIU-A fight for their lives

USIU-A coach Cliffe Owuor reacts during their Kenya Basketball Federation men's Premier League match against Ulinzi Warriors at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on September 7, 2019. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
Two-time women’s Premier League champions United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) risk relegation as they gear up for their last two do-or-die regular season matches this weekend.
USIU-A, who are popularly known as Flames, will meet coach Ronnie Owino’s Strathmore University Swords on Saturday before they end the regular season against Zetech University on Sunday at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium.
Flames were humiliated 70-52 by Storms last weekend and they must now garner maximum points to survive the axe.
Western Delight were the first to be thrown out of next year’s top flight competition after they finished last on the table standings with 23 points.
Coach Cliff Owuor’s Flames, who won two league titles in 2014 and 2015, are second from bottom with 25 points from five wins and 15 losses.
Should USIU-A Flames lose all the two matches, they will tie on 27 points each with Africa Nazarene University (ANU) to leave the baskets aggregate to determine who will finish in 10th position to avoid relegation.
ANU, who were promoted to the Premier League this year after wining the women’s Division One League championship last year, completed their 22 outings in 10th place.
FLAMES HUMBLED
Flames were humbled 60-27 by Strathmore University in the first leg while rivals Zetech University also beat them 51-45.
USIU-A men’s team, popularly known as Tigers, was bundled out of the Premier League after they finished second last in regular season with 26 points.
Lakeside spoiled the party for Tigers, beating them 74-64 in Kisumu in their last match they needed to win to survive. World Hope finished last with 24 points to also drop to the second tier.
Strathmore University are fourth on the women’s Premier League standings with 36 points while Zetech University lie fifth on 34 points.
Both experienced teams have already qualified for the play-offs quarter-finals which enters second week this weekend. KPA head the standings with 42 points while champions Equity Bank are second after having garnered 41 points with one match at hand.
Meanwhile, Equity Bank men’s team will start their campaign to lift their first ever Premier League crown when they take on Emyba in their play-offs quarter-final Game One at Nyayo on Friday from 7.30pm.
The bankers earned a ticket to the best-of-three series play-offs after finishing the regular season third with 39 points. Emyba finished sixth with 32 points.
Teams that won their opening play-offs Game One matches last weekend will be seeking second consecutive victories to qualify for the semi-finals on a 2-0 basis on Saturday and Sunday.
Top seeds Ulinzi Warriors, who narrowly beat Lakeside 80-78 in Kisumu, will host their opponents in Game Two at Nyayo on Saturday at 4pm. Game Three in case of a 1-1 tie is slated for the same venue on Sunday from 5.30pm.
Regular season runners up Thunder will host rivals Eldonets from 5.30pm in Game Two after having lost Game One 63-53 in Eldoret. Game Three will be played on Sunday from 4pm in case Thunder tie the series 1-1.
Barclays Bank, Blazers, Nebulas and NIBS teams, which won their opening men’s Division One League play-offs quarter-final Game One matches last weekend, will host their opponents in decisive Game Two on Saturday and Sunday.
FIXTURES
Saturday at Nyayo: KCITI v Baobab Blazers (8.30am), Zetech Titans v Blazers (10am), JKUAT v Nebulas (11.30am), KCA-U v Strathmore University (1pm), USIU-A Flames v Strathmore University (2.30pm), Ulinzi Warriors v Lakeside (4pm), Thunder v Eldonets (5.30pm)
Mombasa: Coastal Kings v NIBS (4pm)
In Kisii: Kisii University v Riara University (9am)
Eldoret: Eldonets v Kisumu Lady Bucks (9am).

No comments

Translate