This archive report was first published on 9 November 2019.
On Saturday, Equity Bank kicked off their title defence in the Kenya Basketball Federation women's Premier League play-offs with a resounding 82-47 win over Tangit Sparks at the Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium.
Equity Bank, who had previously defeated Sparks twice in the regular season, employed the same strategy to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
"We need time to rest and that's why we're aiming for a clean 2-0 sweep in Game Two on Sunday so that we can rest next weekend. My players are tired and some key ones have incurred injuries due to congested fixtures," said Equity Bank head coach David Maina.
Sparks coach Justus Akhwesa attributed their poor performance to disastrous training sessions, which forced them to field only nine players.
Equity Bank's power forward Linda Alando led the team with 9 points, while captain Esther Butali and towering Belinda Okoth also made good use of their height. Sparks, however, showed aggressiveness with captain Celia Okumu and Anne Mwaniki scoring hard-hitting three-pointers.
Despite a hotly contested first quarter, Equity Bank managed to escape with a narrow 20-18 lead. Coach Maina quickly adjusted the team's playing system, and they went on to outscore Sparks 31-3 at the end of the second quarter.
Equity Bank had a significant 51-21 half-time lead, making it a tall order for Sparks to recover. Although Getrude Sagala and Celia Okumu led Sparks to a 24-15 run at the end of the fourth quarter, it was too late for them to turn the scores in their favour.
Rebounding forward Belinda Okoth scored 18 points and Linda Alando hit 12 for Equity Bank, who are seeking to retain the title for the second year in a row. Okumu replied with 17 points and team-mate Mitchelle Otinda added 15 for Sparks, who must win Game 2 on Sunday if they are to stay alive.
