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Red-hot newcomers Emyba will take on Thunder in Game One of the best-of-five series men’s Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League play-off semi-final at Nyayo Gymnasium on Friday 8pm.
Kenyatta University's Pirates will lock horns with the University of Nairobi’s Terrorists in Game One of the men’s Division One League play-off final starting at 6pm.
The match will determine the winner of 2019 lower-tier championship. Both teams have already earned promotion for a comeback to next year’s men’s Premier League by virtue of having qualified for the final.
Emyba impressed their fans by achieving their dream of reaching semi-final after having been promoted to the Premier League this year. Coach Brian Busu’s self-supporting side rallied from behind to knock out much-experienced Equity Bank 2-1 in a hotly contested quarter-final to book a ticket to their first play-offs semi-final.
Emyba had lost Game One 66-64 to Equity Bank but rose to the occasion to win Game Two 87-83 and Game Three 71-58 to carry the day.
Emyba, who lost 3-0 to Eldonets in last year’s men’s Division One play-off final, finished sixth in the Premier League table standings with 32 points to qualify for best-of-three series play-offs quarter-final.
Emyba’s key players are Thomas Kioko and Eugene Adera.
On the other hand, Thunder eliminated Eldonets 2-1 in a tight quarter-final to advance to their second semi-final in a row. Last year, Thunder were knocked out 3-1 by Ulinzi Warriors in the semi-final and their coach Sadat Gaya has vowed to go a step further to reach the final.
International shooting guard Griffins Ligare has been consistent in scoring in double figures for Thunder and will need support from powerful forwards Kevin Chogo, Ancette Wafula, Faheem Juma and Nate Terry to make a bright start. Game Two is scheduled for Saturday 4pm and Game Three on Sunday at the same time. The series ends with Game Five next weekend.
In the men’s Division One play-offs semi-finals, Pirates eliminated Africa Nazarene University 2-1 in the quarter-final while Terrorists showed Zetech Titans the door 2-1.
Both KPA sides will be in action in the Premier League on Saturday.
Pirates v Terrorists (6pm), Thunder v Emyba (8pm).
Riara University v Coastal Kings (10am), Terrorists v Pirates (12pm), Equity Bank v Dynamites (2pm), Emyba v Thunder (4pm). KPA Makande Gymnasium: KPA v Storms (2pm), KPA v Ulinzi Warriors (4pm).
Kisumu Sports Ground: Lady Bucks v Riara University (12pm).
Dynamites v Equity Bank (10am), Coastal Kings v Riara University (12pm), Pirates v Terrorists (2pm), Thunder v Emyba (4pm).
KPA Makande Gymnasium: Storms v KPA (2pm), Ulinzi Warriors v KPA (4pm).
