Strathmore University’s Blades’ Cliftone Alela (left) and Pascal Juma during KBF Premier League Play-off at The Nyayo Gymnasium on Saturday Jan 22, 2022. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]
Stiff battles are expected this weekend in the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) leagues as the current top eight clubs seek to remain in the play-offs zone, while those at the bottom fight relegation.
With the regular season nearing its end and teams facing the reality of not making it to the playoffs or even being relegated, they have everything to play for in their remaining matches.
Reigning Men’s Premier League champions Nairobi City Thunder will be out to maintain their unbeaten run when they clash with eighth-placed Eldonets Platinum.
Platinum has 27 points, the same as seventh-placed African Nazarene University (ANU) Wolfpacks, who will not be in action this weekend. However, they have not fully secured a play-off spot and must make the best out of their remaining five matches to advance to the knockouts. Strathmore University Blades, who are placed below them with 26 points, pose a threat to their play-off dream.
Blades, who have three games at hand, will take on the University of Nairobi (UoN) Terror today. Terror, who are not safe from demotion, tackle Platinum tomorrow, with victories in the two encounters enhancing their chances of surviving relegation. The United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) Tigers will play Umoja Basketball Club tomorrow.
Tigers are currently second from the bottom, tied on 23 points with National Bank of Kenya (NBK) Phoenix, who lead the table from the wrong end. The bottom two sides will drop to Division One and fight for promotion next season. The Phoenixes who made their Premier League debut this season have won five matches and lost 13. They have four matches at hand that could save them from returning to the lower tier.
In the women’s Premier League contest, second on the table, Zetech University Sparks will be out to topple former champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) from the summit. They take on Eldonets Ladies today and then face off with rivals Strathmore University Swords tomorrow. They were also set to play Stanbic Aces last evening. Victory in the three encounters will see them top the table with 40 points, three more than KPA, who will not be in action.
Defending champions Equity Bank Hawks will meet winless Storms, who seem to have resigned to their fate. Storms, who play Safe Spaces today, have had a very tough season and are yet to taste victory with only four regular matches to go.
Edonets, who are second from the bottom with 19 points but have seven matches at hand, will play ANU Panthers, who, despite struggling in the first leg, have gradually fought their way from the bottom to their current eighth spot. They now have a chance to finish in the top eight and qualify for the play-offs.
The Swish play UoN Dynamites tomorrow, with a win consolidating their spot in the top eight. The women’s matches will be played at Ulinzi Sports Complex, while the men’s action will be at Nyayo Gymnasium.