ZANZIBAR (Tanzania) - It is down to the last four team in the 11-team Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) Zone 5 Qualifiers competition after five days of action.
Egypt's Al Ahly Sporting Club, Rwanda Energy Group (REG), APR of Rwanda and the zone's defending champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) are through. Here's how the action unfolded:
KPA survive Equity scare for Semis slot
Nkem Akariwe's double-double of 16 points, 14 rebounds and Selina Okumu's 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals and as many assists for a game-high 25 in efficiency, one point more than the former propelled Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to a 80-63 victory over rivals Equity Bank Hawks in an all-Kenyan affair. In a match that witnessed 14 lead changes and nine ties, it was anyone's game until the final five minutes when the Bankers crumbled, allowing the reigning Zone 5 champions champions a 16-point run that sealed the deal for the Antony Ojukwu-coached side.
It was a comeback win for KPA who trailed 27-18 in the opening quarter, coming back for the second with a vengeance for 19-8 to head to the half-time break leading 37-25. The see-saw continued in a third quarter show that ended 17 all-square and KPA still held their slim advantage at 54-52. A 26-11 show in the final stanza made all the difference for KPA who must now face unbeaten Al Ahly SC to qualify automatically. Equity turned the ball over 25 times, a mistake that Ojukwu's charges took full advantage of to score 32 as the opponent failed to capitalise on their 14 turnovers, managing just six. A 21-13 ratio on fast break points dis not help the bankers' case.
King, Philoxy power REG to Last Four
Rwanda Energy Group (REG) saw off JKL Lady Dolphins, 67-52 to continue their unbeaten run and sail through to the Semis. In a low-scoring start for both the reigning Zone 5 silver medalists and JKL, who reached the Quarters against all odds, the game was tied at six points five minutes in but the Rwandese side went on an 11-3 run in the last half of the opening quarter to lead 17-9. The Ugandans went ahead 14-12 in the second quarter to trail by six, the 29-23 score indictive of the many missed scoring opportunities.
Julian Martinez's charges came off the locker rooms guns blazing, extending their lead to ten at 41-31 halfway through the third period and further to 18 ahead of the final quarter that ended 19-16 in JKL's favour to hand REG victory. Kristina Morgan King and Destiney Promise Philoxy combined for 29 points and were the only REG players to manage doubles on points. On their part, JKL had Evelyne Nakiyingi top scoring with 13 while Keren Becky Longom who has led the side on all stats despite missing the opening match, bagged another double-double on 12 points and 10 rebounds. Sharon Kirabo added 10 to their tally.
APR see off stubborn Gladiators to move closer to qualification
Italee Lucas led APR Rwanda's charge against Gladiators with 23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists as they won the match 78-55. Lucas combined with Shaina Pellington and Sandra Kantore for 54 of the side's total points in a match that Gladiators held their own, moving the ball better in the second and third quarter to keep Charles Mushumba's charges close. The Rwandese champions got their campaign for a semis slot off to a quick 14-6 start, keeping the momentum for an opening quarter 25-12 performance. Gladiators went hard in the second period, taking it 19-13 to cut their deficit to just seven heading to the half-time break.
Nelly Sandra Nsanzabaganwa (15 points) and Francine Mukendi Tshimanga (13 points) continued to be a thorn for APR in the third period, cutting their lead to just four, five minutes into the second half, catching the Rwandese champions by surprise. The pressure was on for APR and they needed an immediate response, Italee rising to the occasion to drop five quick points, Sandra Kantore adding a trey as Mushumba's side pulled away for 59-48 heading to the last ten minutes. The final stanza was a 19-7 dominance for rhe eventual winners.
Al Ahly SC make light work of Vijana Queens
From the get go it was going to be a lopsided encounter as Egypt's Al Ahly had proven too strong for Tanzania's Vijana Queens with a 145-52 victory in the Group Phase. The quarters meeting was no better as the hosts were humbled 130-47. The first quarter scores read 42-16, leaving nothing to imagination as to who the winner would be. Comel Joseph Woisso's Vijana were dominated 32-11, 23-14 and 33-6 in a match that the Tarek Abouzeid-led side attempted 29 treys, sinking 10 for a 34.5% conversion rate, a significant drop from the 16-of-30 for 53.3% in the Group match.
Raneem Elgedawy barely put a foot wrong sinking 9-of-10 on twos and adding two treys as she top scored for her side with 26, adding 4 rebounds. Meral Abdelgawad dropped 19 points in 15:41 minutes, adding 5 assists and as many rebounds for a game-high 28 in efficiency. Taudencia Oluoch was the only player from Vijana to hit double digits, finishing with 14 as Boke Juma came a basket short to emerge as the side's second best scorer. Al Ahly SC, expectedly, dominated all points scoring charts, going 35-06 points off turnovers, 31-2 from fast breaks, 23-8 on second chance scores, 76-20 on the paint and 63-31 from the bench.
FIBA