USIU-A SAVOUR TITLE TRIUMPH: University students finally land national basketball league title after long fight

Michele Otinda (right) of USIU attempts to clear the ball as Hellen Oketch (left) of KPA attempts to score a basket during a Kenya Basketball National League contest at the Makande GYM, Sunday October 12, 2014. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

United States International University-Africa (USIU-A) women’s team are the new National Classic Basketball premier league champions.

The students ended the long wait to become the first varsity side to win the elusive title after beating the league dominant side (KPA) 81-50 in game four of the play-offs final on Sunday.

The 3-1 series triumph of five series challenge, however, was a sweet revenge for the students on a loss of 3-2 in last season’s final.

The league title is the second crown for USIU-A this season after winning Zone V championship in August last year.

It was a see-saw match in the initial stages with 22-14 for students and 20-17 for coastal side in the opening quarters, before the varsity struck in the third and fourth quarters 28-6 and 14-10.

“This is a dream come true and I am so elated to have finally gotten this crown which we have been struggling to touch.

“It been a long road and I am proud of the girls for endurance to reach where we have been aiming,” head coach George Mayienga said after the win.

The Thika Road-based winners had showed significant capacity to win after being runners-up in the last two seasons which had been anchored in another brilliant show coming third in the preceding years.

Starlets of the showpiece were Sarah Chan and Hildah Indasi leading the onslaught with nine and seven points for students while Yvone Akinyi topped the chart for the coastal side.

Sensational Indasi, who according to Mayienga has been the anchor of the team, was named the Most Valuable Player which meant she went home with Sh50,000.

The elated Indasi who bagged the award for the second time said it was an honour and dedicated it to her team and all who supported her in the quest for the crown.

“It is really good for me to bag this award for the second time. Yes, I am really excited and humbled and will dedicate this to the team and all those who supported me all the way up to where I am,” she said.

Indasi is set to sign for the newly-promoted Equity Bank ahead of the 2015 season however the arrangement has not been confirmed.

KPA head coach Anthony Ojukwu on his side conceded defeat after watching his team put up an inferior fight in second half to lose by 31 points.

The winners were given a cash reward of Sh600,000 while KPA took home Sh300,000.

Third place went to Co-operative Bank who beat Sprite Storms 46-33 in the decider also at the same venue.