#BaQe Special Edition: 'The Final Face-Off'

Special Edition

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OCT 2013

SKETBALL ITY BA

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FINAL FACE-OFF INSIDE THE #ZUBL NATIONAL FINALS

USIU’s (United States International University-Africa) ‘Flames’ rubber-stamped their domination of the Zuku University Basketball League (ZUBL) on Saturday (October 12) when they took on Maseno University in the national finals.

USIU’s leading ladies left the Moi International Sports Center in Kasarani - not only with the trophy and the right to gloat for a year - but a Ksh. 150,000 check from Zuku, Samsung Galaxy cameras and Rexona gift bags as well.

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Despite a valiant effort, Maseno proved no match for the fast breaks, full-court presses and offensive plays employed by the ‘Flames’. The clash ended 83-38. The win also means that USIU’s leading ladies have completed the season with a clean slate i.e. no losses.

“This has been a hardworking season and our experience was way above some of the team we played against. Taking part in the women premier league has given the girls a lot of

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confidence and I appreciate their continued dedication.”

USIU Coach George Mayienga told journalists after the onesided duel.

Zipporah Adhiambo led the ‘Flames’ onslaught with 21 points to her name while the indomitable Hilda Indasi followed closely with 16 points. Maseno’s centre Belinda Okoth had 12 points.

The spritely USIU guard Cynthia Irakunza was awarded Most Valuable Player.

Silalei’s

ZUBL

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Pointers

The marked improvement of most teams during the season.

It’s clear the ladies were religiously watching BaQe and applying The Professor’s tips.

Most women’s teams had at least 1 “star” player doing double-duty at the Kenya Premier League.

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University of Nairobi’s (UON) ‘Terror’ emerged victorious after the fierce battle with Mount Kenya University - Nakuru that ensued centre-stage at the Kasarani Sports Complex shortly after the women’s final.

There was concern in some quarters that the Final would not live up to the nail-biting suspense and drama of the ‘semi’ the previous evening, between longtime rivals UON and the ‘Tigers’ of USIU. MKU on the other hand, were able to dispatch the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) to their locker room with relative ease.

But any fears of a lack-lustre match were quickly dispelled as UON burst out of the blocks to chalk up an early 8-2 lead. ‘Terror’, as they’re referred to by their fans, prevailed in the first quarter 18-13.

But MKU’s admiral Nicholas Anyang rallied his troops for a 12-11 second-quarter comeback that raised blood pressures and hopes across the gym.

The scores were 29-25 to UON at half-time.

The start of the third quarter saw ‘Terror’ unleash an arsenal of offensive moves that included gravity-mocking dunks by Geoffrey Oteki, and

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a flurry of threepointers - again from Oteki - and the likes of Hillary Kubai, that sent MKU’s defenders into a tailspin. The quarter’s scores of 28-16 reflected UON’s dominance.

Many MKU fans were already consoling each other when MKU’s five ambassadors doggedly clawed their way back into the game, thanks to the lightening-speed intelligence and brave gameplay of George Kiarie and his four compatriots.

Spectators, substitutes and fans alike were left with open mouths and dangling fingernails - as the gap narrowed to within three points in the final 60 seconds. The ball dropped in favor of UON however when Anyang fouled in the last ten seconds, handing the UON the match, the league title and extended misery for BaQe host DNG (an ardent USIU fan). The final score was 72-68.

MKU’s Richard Mungai and James Okerio were the highest scorers of the match with 18 points each, followed by Anyang with 15 points and an impressive 14 rebounds. UON’s Geoffrey Oteki made history by taking home both the ZUBL MVP Award, as well as the Men’s Top Scorer Award.

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THE PROFESSOR’S

ZUBL

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Pointers

It’s open & competitive.

Anyone can take it.

Offensive skills improve tremendously across the board, making matches more entertaining.

Ancient rivalries have been reestablished and will probably be upheld.

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I’m

Glad

I Came One Fan’s Perspective I don’t remember when I fell in love with the game of basketball, but I’m pretty sure it was at first sight.

My fascination with b-ball has grown by Gerald Green-esque leaps and bounds over the years. It’s the reason why I arrived at Kasarani for the ZUBL National Finals early, armed with lozenges, a posse of fellow hoops-lovers and great expectations.

It’s been many years since I followed Kenya’s university league with any consistency. Zuku’s arrival on the scene however, has ushered in a golden age for college basketball, replete with snazzy uniforms, prize money, live coverage and of course, the weekly celebration of it all - via the groundbreaking BaQe Show. You would be forgiven for getting distracted by all the trimmings and miss the main course.

After my hiatus, I must say that I am blown away by the growth in skill and technique that have permeated the game at both college and professional level.

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The USIU ‘Flames’ vs Maseno women’s game may have been one-sided on the scoreboard, but the ‘Flames’ have exposed the importance of long-term investment, focusing on athleticism and putting in the hours needed to perfect the moves that create options in the paint and protect your lanes when you’re on the back foot.

I - for one - am already looking forward to next season when a certain Madaraka-based team will join the fixtures and possibly prove to be USIU’s Achilles Heel. The ensuing rivalry will go a long way in filling seats, and creating the kind of intrigue

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that could stimulate interest in the women’s league.

The men’s side is currently enjoying the perfect cocktail of 1) strong teams constantly jostling for top position 2) up-and-coming teams that are on the brink of becoming serious contenders 3) colorful individuals whose exploits are the stuff of courtside legend.

In both the semi-finals (USIU vs UON / MKU vs TUK) and final (UON vs MKU) men’s games, fans like me were caught up in a delicious whirlwind of joy, anxiety, trash talking and an erratic scoreboard.

I’ve watched fantastic games like this on TV, but it’s been a long time since I’ve witnessed firsthand epic moments like Nicholas Ayang’s head-splitting block, George Kiarie’s lionhearted drives into a forest of much taller opponents, the dozens of free throws that broke hearts or heralded victory and yes, that dunk...that dunk that saw Geoffrey Oteki morph from the mild-mannered Clark Kent into Superman right before our eyes.

Thanks to the ZUBL I have fallen in love with the game again, and like the song says: “...this universe will never be the same, I’m glad I came...”

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