NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 – Christine Akinyi and Madina Okot scored impressive double-doubles with two other Kenyan players chalking double digit scores as the Lionesses brushed aside South Sudan 80-51 to inch closet to qualification for the FIBA Afrobasket.
Akinyi chalked her second double-double in three matches with a game high 17 points and 12 rebounds while Madina earned another double-doiuble performance with 11 points and 18 assists.
Victoria Reynolds also had a good outing with 17 points, eight rebounds, four steals and four assists while Mercy Wanyama added another double-digit haul to her tournament with 14 points. She also had seven rebounds.
The victory now takes Kenya to a 3-0 run in the tournament and will face off with Egypt on Saturday afternoon to cement a place on top of the five-team tournament.
The top two teams will face off in Sunday’s final. Uganda are also vying for the top two, as they have won two and lost one, against Kenya.
The Egyptians have won two and lost one and victory over Kenya can pull them top of the pile while Kenya will simply need a victory to earn a place in this year’s Afrobasket and Africa Games.
Against South Sudan, the Lionesses were in cruise control from tip off. They led 21-15 at the end of the first quarter and 36-25 at halftime.
They upped the tempo in the last two quarters, with the team rotation this time working well as the players who came in gave an equally good performance.
Only three of the 12 players in the team roster, Deborah Obunga, Maryanne Nyagaki and Vilma Owino failed to register points but Obunga had three assists.
