This archive report was first published on 26 October 2019.
On October 26, 2019, Ulinzi Warriors faced off against Lakeside in a Kenya Basketball Federation quarterfinal play-off tie at the Jomo Kenyatta Sports grounds in Kisumu. The match was an entertaining one, with Ulinzi ultimately emerging victorious with an 80-78 win.
Ulinzi's Eric Mutoro, Victor Bosire, and John Washika formed a formidable trio, leading the visitors to a 25-22 first quarter lead. However, Lakeside, fresh from their 2019 Biro Lich title win, regrouped and outscored Ulinzi 17-15 at the end of the second quarter.
Ulinzi's William Balozi and his team then took the lead with a 24-20 third quarter advantage. In the final quarter, Mutoro and Bosire combined to help Ulinzi squeeze out a narrow 18-15 win, securing their first victory in the best-of-three series.
Speaking after the match, Ulinzi head coach Balozi expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, stating, 'It was a tough match against Lakeside and I am happy the team played offensively to win the first of the three matches. Our aim now is to win the remaining two matches and qualify for the semis.'
Ulinzi Warriors had previously come close to winning the title in 2018 but lost to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the finals. This season, they are making their second attempt to reclaim the league title they last won in 2015.
