The Finals: Equity Hawks vs KPA

Just like the previous three seasons, KBF Women’s Premier League will see the same finalists again this year ; defending champions Equity Hawks and season red-hot KPA. In a 5 game series, one of these two teams will be crowned champion. These two have met in the finals so much that we can as well tag this a rivalry, a battle that was bound to happen.

This series will be pretty much balanced from the technical bench who will be calling the shots, to the players who will be making the shots. Everything will boil down to how well the finalists execute the game plan and their level of experience.

Looking back at the semifinals, both teams swept their opponents 3-0 in convincing wins. Notable player matchups as we await the finals are:

1: Melissa Akinyi vs Selina Okumu

Melissa Akinyi has been leading the way for Hawks, averaging 17 points in three games. She plays great defense and her playmaking abilities are on point. Selina Okumu has size, defense and can get you buckets every single day, a good rebound and can trigger fast breaks. From the previous series she averaged 7 rebounds and 7 points.

2: Natalie Akinyi vs Samba Mjomba

This will be a great matchup and very entertaining too. Both guards are elite and play at a very high level. Samba has great game control and her ability to score is also good Natalie brings offense and defense to the floor every single day. Samba Mjomba exploded to a 20 point game in game 3, she might have found her groove and should carry that momentum to the finals. Natalie is averaging 15 points and 5 assists per game. This is where the real battle will be. This is the matchup to look forward to.

3: Vilma Akinyi vs Belinda Okoth

The front court battle will be key in this series. Vilma Akinyi is playing well, dominating the boards and scoring at an efficient level. Her size is key to KPA’s success in the Finals. She averaged a double double in the last three games. Belinda Okoth is Hawks best center. They will look to her for rim protection and rebounding. She can get you layups too. Her length should worry the opposition. She averages 7 points to go along with 8 rebounds.

4: Betty Kananu vs Hilda Luvandwa

These two are the x-factors in this series. Both are sharp shooters. Betty Kananu is a player you don’t wanna leave open at the three point line and the same goes to Hilda. Hilda is serving a two game suspension after an ejection in game 3, following an altercation with Grace Wanjiku. The team that will have a better shooting game stands a chance to take control of the series early.

These two teams are good shooting teams, they also rebound very well, but then again the game might be decided by how good their transition game is and who has better rebounding. High level execution especially from the guards will be vital with less turnovers.
Other players who will influence the series are Becky Nkatha, Ritah Aluoch and Rachel Wandago for KPA, while Linda Alando, Salma Akinyi and Annerose Mandela do the work for Equity Hawks.
For now we wait and see who throws that first knockout punch.