USIU-A Flames lift first league title - Feb 3, 2015
United States International University- Africa (USIU-A) ladies basketball team has become the first varsity side to win the Kenya Basketball Federation league title in its history. The students beat Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) 81-50 in game four of the playoffs final played Sunday at the Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium. The 3-1 series win was sweet revenge for KPA who beat them 3-2 in last season's final. This is the second major title for USIU-A this season after winning Zone V championship in August. Ironically, they beat KPA in the final. 'I am so happy because we have come from far,' head coach George Mayienga said after the win. 'Three years ago, we finished third and then second for the last two seasons. It was a good fight by the ladies.' Hilda Indasi was named the most valuable player for the second time in three seasons and bagged Ksh.50, 000. 'I am really humbled by this win. Its the second for me as a player and the first with USIU. I cannot ask for anything more,' she said. Indasi has already signed for the newly-promoted Equity Bank ahead of the 2015 season. She will link up with guard Samba Mjomba and already relishes the opportunity. 'As I move to the new team, I am settled and happy. I am grateful to USIU-A for supporting and making me who I am.' USIU-A proved superior and hungry for a win taking home three quarters. They won the first 22-14 and KPA the second 20-17 for a slim five points advantage at the breather. Sarah Chan (191-C/F-86, college: Union, TN) and Indasi led scoring for USIU-A with 9 and 7 respectively while KPAs highest scorer at halftime was Yvone Akinyi with 10. KPA had Natalie Akinyi and Helen Oketch accumulate three fouls each from the first two quarters. It limited their playtime in the remaining quarters which visibly affected KPAs gameplan. USIU-A won the third and fourth quarters 28-6 and 14-10 respectively. KPA head coach Anthony Ojukwu conceded defeat after watching his team put up an inferior fight in second half to lose by 31 points. 'The standards of women basketball in Kenya have gone high. This series was very competitive and we lost fairly to a good team.' He promised to rebuild the squad by recruiting more young players in readiness for the new season that starts next month. Indasi top scored for USIU-A with 26 points while Chan added 16. Natalie Akinyi scored highest for KPA with 11 points and Yvonne Akinyi had 10. USIU-A took charge of the series on Saturday winning game three 77-43 to break the one-all tie from last weekend. It was Indasi who led the rout scoring 17 points, grabbed four rebounds and three assists. Chan added 16 points for the students and grabbed 21 rebounds while Yvonne Akinyi had a game high 20 points and one rebound for KPA. USIU-A got a cash reward of Ksh. 600, 000 while KPA banked 300, 000. Co-operative Bank finished third after beating Sprite Storms 46-33 in the decider. Celina Okumu scored 10 points for the bankers and Mercy Ouma 12 points for Storms. Co-op Bank made 10 free-throws and scored two 3-point shots against Storms' seven free-throws and two 3-point shots. Courtesy of: sportsnewsarena.com
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