This archive report was first published on 13 July 2019.
On Saturday, Equity Bank solidified their position at the top of the women's Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League table with a thrilling 79-70 overtime victory over Kenya Ports Authority at the Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium.
With 25 points from 12 victories and one loss, Equity Bank's win ensured they remained at the top of the table. The match was a closely contested affair, with Kenya Ports Authority's aggressive forward Selina Okumu sending the game into overtime with a critical free-throw just 24 seconds before the end of the fourth quarter.
Okumu's impressive performance was a key factor in KPA's 8-0 run, which saw them take a 62-57 lead with just two minutes and 17 seconds remaining. However, Equity Bank's Annerose Mandela and Linda Alando played crucial roles in the final minutes of the game, helping their team take a narrow 65-64 advantage in the last 44 seconds.
Guard Annerose Mandela led Equity Bank with 19 points, while Betty Kananu scored 17 and Melisa Akinyi 11. Okumu scored a game-high 25 points for KPA, with team-mate Felmas Adhiambo providing 15. In a post-match interview, Equity Bank coach David Maina attributed their win to his team's ability to stay focused and composed under pressure.
"We managed to avenge the first leg defeat because I talked to my players not to lose their heads when we were down in the fourth quarter after having led for long spells," Maina said.
Kenya Ports Authority coach Mike Opel, on the other hand, attributed his team's loss to a series of costly turnovers in the final quarter.
"We had picked up at a right time in the fourth quarter but committed too many turn-overs which cost us the victory," Opel said.
Elsewhere in the women's Premier League, Storms registered a 54-37 victory over Strathmore University Swords, thanks in part to Deedee Were's 11 points. The other matches saw Barclays Bank edge out Terrorists 65-64, Riara University defeat Strathmore University 74-58, and KCA-U narrowly beat JKUAT 46-45.
