This archive report was first published on 29 November 2019.
Kenya's basketball scene is set to witness an exciting showdown as Emyba, a team that has defied expectations, takes on Thunder in the semi-finals of the Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League play-offs. The first game of the best-of-five series is scheduled for Friday at 8pm at Nyayo Gymnasium.
Emyba's remarkable journey to the semi-finals began when they were promoted to the Premier League this year. Despite being a newcomer, they have impressed fans by achieving their dream of reaching the semi-finals. Coach Brian Busu's team rallied from behind to knock out Equity Bank 2-1 in a quarter-final match, booking a ticket to their first play-offs semi-final.
Emyba had lost the first game 66-64 to Equity Bank but rose to the occasion to win the next two games, 87-83 and 71-58, to carry the day. Their key players, Thomas Kioko and Eugene Adera, will be crucial in determining the outcome of the match.
On the other hand, Thunder eliminated Eldonets 2-1 in a tight quarter-final to advance to their second semi-final in a row. Last year, Thunder were knocked out 3-1 by Ulinzi Warriors in the semi-final, and their coach, Sadat Gaya, has vowed to go a step further to reach the final.
International shooting guard Griffins Ligare has been consistent in scoring in double figures for Thunder and will need support from powerful forwards Kevin Chogo, Ancette Wafula, Faheem Juma, and Nate Terry to make a bright start. The series will continue with Game Two on Saturday at 4pm and Game Three on Sunday at the same time.
Meanwhile, in the men's Division One play-offs, Pirates will face Terrorists in the final, with the match determining the winner of the 2019 lower-tier championship. Both teams have already earned promotion to next year's men's Premier League by virtue of having qualified for the final.
Other matches scheduled for Saturday include Pirates v Terrorists (6pm), Thunder v Emyba (8pm), and several other games at different venues.
