Brilliant KPA come short in maiden AWBL title hunt

• KPA lost 103-59 to Alexandria Sporting of Egypt
• They suffered a second consecutive loss to the Egyptians
• Equity Hawks finished sixth

National champions Kenya Ports Authority came short in their hunt for a continental title, losing 103-59 to hosts Alexandria Sporting Club in the final of the maiden edition of the Africa Women’s Basketball League.

The dockers had waded through a tough challenge from Rwanda Energy Group in the semis, but couldn’t sustain the same tempo against ASC, who completed a double over them, having beaten them in the group stages.

“We are gracious and humble. We play the game a certain way, win or lose.  It is important to put yourself there win or lose, to challenge yourself to be open to realizing your full potential. This year you have done just that. You have pushed your limits and regardless of the outcome you have emerged victorious,” said KPA head coach Anthony Ojukwu after the match.

Ojukwu said the team proved their mettle and went on to praise his technical staff as well as the team’s management for the support they gave them to achieve the continental silver medal.

Aminata Semassekou was one of three KPA players to hit double digit scores with 16, while Madina Okot had 11 and Victoria Reynolds 12.

Alexandria’s danger girl Hagar Amer was the top scorer for the club, scoring a game high 32 points while American Cierra Dillard (17), Naddine Yasser (11) and Destiny Pitts also recorded double digit scores.

KPA come short after starting well 

Action between Alexandria Sporting and KPA

Skipper Natalie Mwangale and Reynolds gave KPA a 5-0 lead early on but Fatou Diagne and Cierra Dillard made it a one-point game off a layup and from the free-throw line.  Ojukwu’s charges still led 11-8 halfway through the quarter.

Dillard tied the score at 13 before skipper Hagar Amer gave ASC the lead for the first time with back-to-back layups that forced the Kenyans into a timeout.

A costly turnover off the break gave ASC a six-point advantage, Amer extending the lead to 22-15 ahead of the second quarter.

Three turnovers for KPA gave three quick points in the opening minute of the second period for a 26-19 lead as the hosts continued their onslaught to lead 35-24 four minutes in.

Destiny Pitts rose above her marker from behind the arc to knock down a three-pointer that extended Sporting’s lead to 14, Okot pulling two back from the line for 38-26.

With three minutes on the clock, KPA were down 19 at 47-28 as they struggled with the host team’s transition and could only manage four more points for 58-32 heading to the locker rooms.

Hagar and Dillard had combined for the Mohamed Adelrahman-coached side’s 35, each scoring two treys with the latter missing once on the line to go one under her skipper’s tally.

The two sides matched their strengths on the paint but KPA got punished for their lacklustre ball handling that saw them turn the ball over 16 times, 8 in each quarter with ASC scoring 13 off their mistakes.

KPA fail to match up with ASC fight 

Madina Okot in action against Alexandria. PHOTO/FIBA

ASC scored five off the locker rooms to make it a 30-point game at 63-33, KPA allowing three treys in the first half of the third to trail by 36 in a 76-40 scoreline.

A 29-17 performance at the end of the third and 16-10 on the final period gave ASC the win for their second ever continental title.

At the same time, Equity Hawks finished sixth after an 83-53 defeat against Nigeria’s Customs in the play-off matches. Grace Malu had 18 points for the bankers, but it wasn’t enough to push them into a higher finish.

Meanwhile, Alexandria’s Dillard was named the new-look competition’s Most Valuable Player. The American-Senegalese point guard played a major role by helping ASC win the historic AWBL edition as she averaged 12.7 points, 7.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds in seven games.

Dillard shot 5-for-9 from the floor, finishing 17 points and 4 assists as ASC demolished Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) 103-59 in the final of the nine-day competition.

In addition to the 2023 AWBL MVP award, Dillard was named to the All-Star team, which included her teammate and last year’s MVP Hagar Amer, Destiny Philox of Rwanda Energy group and the KPA duo of  Reynolds and Okot.