- UCU Lady Canons 62-54 KCCA Leopards (Lady Canons win series 4-0)
After running through the 2017 National Basketball League regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs, not many expected KCCA Leopards to back down, not even UCU Lady Canons coach Emmanuel Kiguyi.
“I did not expect a sweep but I have always believed in these girls, we prepared them well mentally,” Kiguyi said after UCU’s 62-54 win over KCCA in Game 4 of the finals to claim a third successive title.
Like was the case in Game 3 a couple of days earlier, KCCA kept it close in the first three quarter but crumbled in the all decisive fourth quarter.
KCCA won the opening quarter 14-13 but kept their opponents in check through the subsequent two quarters despite falling behind 14-12 and 12-11 respectively before collapsing the final frame.
As it has been the case throughout the series Leopards were going over the foul limit three minutes into the quarter and the Lady Canons hit 20 of 30 from the line.
Vilma Achieng, Judith Nansobya and Ritah Imanishimwe scored 17, 14 and 11 points respectively to lead Lady Canons to glory while Cynthia Irankunda, Larrisa Kantugeko and Moreen Amoding stood out for KCCA with 14, 13 and 11 points respectively.
In the absence of Martha Soigi, Larrisa Katungeko battled UCU’s post presence almost all alone and there was not much she could do about Vilma Achieng and Sarah Ageno.
“We were almost defenseless without Martha. It was a very big gap to fill in three weeks and when you are crippled, its difficult to contain opponents,” Leopards coach Roger Serunyigo said.
The Lady Canons who came into the top tier league a decade ago were playing in their ninth final and eighth in succession.
The league title is UCU’s seventh, just one shy of record winners Lady Bucks.
Meanwhile, the men’s finals in which four-time champions City Oilers take on KIU Titans will be played early next year starting on Friday, 5th January.