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KPA win historic silver in Africa Women's Basketball League

Wednesday December 20 2023
 African Women Basketball League

Part of the action between KPA and University of Doula (UoD) during their African Women Basketball League championship match in Alexandria, Egypt on December 14, 2023. PHOTO | POOL | FIBA BASKETBALL

By NATION AFRICA

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) on Tuesday made history after winning silver in the inaugural Africa Women's Basketball League (AWBL) which ended in Alexandria, Egypt.

The dock women's dream of winning gold medal in the one-week competition was halted when they lost 103-59 to unbeaten hosts and champions Sporting Club Alexandria.

KPA's best performance prior to Tuesday's result was finishing fifth in the Africa Club Championship which was re-named AWBL this year.

Read: Afrobasket electrifies Kigali's sports scene

In the 2022 Africa Champions Cup, Sporting Club beat KPA 100-82 in the semi-final. The Egyptians again defeated KPA 102-77 in the preliminary round of this year's event.

Sporting Club topped Group "A" with eight points after winning all their four matches, while KPA finished second with seven points from three wins and one loss.

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After upsetting rivals Rwanda Energy Group (REG) 101-97 in the first tough semi-final, coach Anthony Ojukwu's KPA seemed to be fatigued in the final.

Sporting Club eliminated Interclub of Angola 100-74 in the second semi-final to book a date with KPA in final.

Led by captain Hagar Amer, who scored a game high 32 points and Ceirra Janay (17), they led 22-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Sporting Club, who scored 28 points on fast break against KPA's 13, went 36-17 up at end of second quarter for a 58-32 lead at the breather.

Read: South Sudan qualify for Paris Olympics at Basketball World Cup

KPA's Victoria Reynolds, who scored 12 points and Aminata Samassekou (16) were restricted from usual execution as they trailed 29-17 at the end of third quarter.

KPA, who scored nine points from turnovers against Sporting Club's 15, put up a big fight in the last quarter squeezing a 16-10 result but the damage was already done.

Kenya's Equity Hawks lost 85-53 to Customs of Nigeria to finish sixth. Equity Hawks lost 81-66 to KPA in the quarter final. Ten clubs participated in the week-long event.

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