This archive report was first published on 15 December 2019.
On Saturday night, Ulinzi Warriors were crowned the Kenyan basketball men Premier League champions after a thrilling 67-63 win over Thunder in the playoff final at Nyayo Gymnasium in Nairobi, December 14, 2019.
The victory marked the end of Kenya Ports Authority's (KPA) three-year dominance in the domestic league, having won the league consecutively in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Ulinzi Warriors last won the league in 2015 and have now won the title nine times in the history of the league.
The team's captain, John Washika, attributed their victory to their tight defense, saying, 'Intensity on the defense won us the game. We were down 20 points. We fought so hard and gave our all to recover. Byron Mabonga came from the bench and he took charge.'
Ulinzi Warriors will represent Kenya in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) second edition next year, having finished the regular league with 43 points and losing only one match.
