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Faheem Juma (left) of Umoja Basketball tussles for the ball with Brans Mutiso of Ulinzi Warriors during their East Africa Basketball Championships Cup match at Nyayo Stadium on October 9, 2025. [File, Standard]
The battle in the Kenya Basketball Federation Men and Women’s Premier League will hit a notch higher this weekend as teams chase victories in a bid to enhance their chances of sealing play-offs slots.
As the first leg of the 2026 season nears the end, teams are scrambling for the top eight spots with the aim of easing pressure in the second leg.
Defending champions Nairobi City Thunder and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), who are the only sides with a flawless record this season, will be hoping to extend their good run and remain on course to retaining the title.
However, the toughest battle is at the bottom of the men’s table, where African Nazarene University (ANU) Wolfpacks who have only played three matches, will be seeking to bag maximum points and move out of the relegation zone.
Wolfpacks have a busy weekend which begins today with a clash against their Strathmore University counterparts, Blades.
While Wolfpacks will be on a mission to get out of danger, Blades, who are ninth on the standings, will be looking to break into the top eight, setting the stage for a thrilling duel as action returns to Nyayo Gymnasium.
On Saturday, Wolfpacks will be hoping to punch above their weight when they take on defending champions Thunder, who will be keen to maintain their unbeaten run now in its third season. On Sunday, ANU will face yet another tough opponent in former holders Ulinzi Warriors.
The soldiers who are fifth on the table with 12 points, five wins and two defeats will tackle Blades in hunt of a sixth win. Sixth-placed Stanbic Shields will tackle Umoja Basketball Club in the other men’s match of the day.
In the women’s title chase, Stanbic Aces will be out to consolidate their top-two spot when they take on Safe Spaces today.
Aces have had a good season and are currently second with 13 points from seven outings, whereas Safe Spaces are ninth with eight points from six matches. On Sunday, Safe Spaces will return to action against Th3 Swish. Th3 Swish who lost to KPA last weekend, will be hoping to bounce back from the defeat and register their third win.
Debutants Dream Girls and Lady Titans will be in action at Nyayo and Makande Gymnasiums, respectively.
Dream Girls, who are sixth on the standings, will be looking to secure their third win when they take on Eldonets, who are leading from the wrong end of the table.
Lady Titans, on the other hand, will be seeking to cause a major upset in Mombasa when they play their hosts KPA at Makande.
The dockers will be out to register their ninth win and maintain their 100 per cent win record, whereas Lady Titans will be battling to salvage their campaign. They are currently second from the bottom with seven points from six matches.
On Sunday, Eldonets will face off with Zetech University Sparks, while Dream Girls will play Strathmore Swords.