Friday, October 25
*KPA 62-46 APR
*Equity 53-62 JKL
Saturday, October 26
Finals: JKL vs KPA
JKL Lady Dolphins beat defending Champions Equity Bank Hawks 62-53 to storm the finals of the Zone Five Championship on Friday in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
After trailing 17-11 at the end of the first quarter, the side coached by City Oilers’ Mandy Juruni put up a strong second quarter to win it 17-4 before holding on to clinch an important win in the club’s history.
The massive win earns JKL who are also debuting at the tourney, an automatic ticket to the 2019 FIBA Africa Women’s Championship Cup set to be held in the Madagascar capital of Antananarivo at Palais des Sports Mahamasima from December 6-15.
At the final buzzer, small forward Zainah Lokwameri laid on floor with tears of joy before she was joined and lifted up by teammate and captain Flavia ‘Flirsh’ Oketcho.
A year back, Zainah and UCU Lady Canons, had come short at this same tournament against the same opponents (Equity) and at the same court.
Hard work and belief, after falling to KPA in their group B encounter recently, helped JKL overcome a star studded Equity Bank Hawks.
Zainah had scored 10 points but it was Flirsh who scored a game high 15 points including three made shots from downtown to spearhead JKL’s surge.
Brenda Ekone knocked 14 from the bench while Hope Akello had 10 points and Rose Akon managed 10 rebounds.
JKL who shot 62% from the line looked an improved side from the team that lost to KPA in their group A game. The side built a rocky defence that kept out a star studded Equity team comprised of Ateino Ann Rose, Shani Salalei, Mathima Betty, Belinda Okoth and Betty Muomba among others.
Equity will feel that they could have done better and missed head coach David Maina who returned home to attend the burial of his grand child, with Carey T9 Oketch in control.
JKL moved the ball on court well, defended their territory and benefited from Equity’s blunt attack that shot 4-17 from the three point range.
In Saturday’s final, JKL will now face last year’s beaten finalists KPA who also qualified for the FIBA Africa Women’s Championship cup.
