Kenyan clubs dominated theon going Fiba Africa Zone Five club championships taking all the five participating teams to the semi finals that was due today at the YMCA Wandegeya courts.
Host Kampala managed to send two teams- one in each category namely Warriors (men) and Kampala City Council (women). Rwanda have APR, who so far remain unbeaten and clear favourites.
The Kenyan clubs sending ripples in this hilly Ugandan city are reigning women champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Eagle who are also unbeaten, all booked a slot in the last four.
Now KPA takes on Eagle Wings in an all Kenyan women's semis match while KCC led by Flavio Okech and Mirriam Hamalla take on Blandine Ndaya and Honoree Adeyabe APR of Rwanda in the other semi finals today.
These throw off from 4 pm local time. KPA had one loss while APR topped pool B. KPA, who will bank on Yvonne Akinyi and Everlyne Akoth won their last fixtures against Berco Stars of Burundi with a run away 80-41 scoreline.
Unbeaten Wings with Caroline Achieng, Janet Okoth Anastasia Njeri in fine form the other hand flew past home girls KCC 70-54 in the other group A semis to set an exiting date with KPA in an eagerly game awaited tie.
The other semi finals will pitted APR against KCC after the Rwandese beat Kampala International university (KIU) Rangers 70-49.
This tournament went into the record books as the one with the highest number of teams since Fiba Africa moved in to help with its organization in 2005.
Co-operative Bank of Kenya broke open a closely fought encounter against JKT to become the first men's side to book a semi final slot .They beat the Tanzanians 51-45 in a tricky group A showdown. They now meet KPA.
It will be a Richard Osano, Bobby Okwako and Allan Ouma show against the sure handed Odari brothers, Musa and Furaha with Mike Opel and Dan Okwirri backing up the crew.
Warriors of Uganda who beat CSK of Rwanda 76-62 before going down 86-89 to local rivals DM Power which was expected to do better by the home fans will meet Lions in a pulsating fixture.
Will the trio of Abdalla Ramadhan, Martin Okwako and Ronny Kasavu fly Uganda flag high against the Lions "rainbow coalition" of Tobias Onyango, Victor Odendo and defensive ace Paul Oloo in this cracker ?
Kenyan champions KCB Lions who slipped 71-72 to KPA recovered to lock Marines out with a 64-61 victory over the Rwandese side while KPA over whelmed Warriors with a clinical 89-66 finish.
Semi finals fixtures:
KCC v APR, KPA v Eagle Wings (women).
KPA v Co-op and KCB v Warriors (men).
Dann O. Werre
FIBA Africa