Kisumu Lakeside floor Neosasa to keep promotion hopes alive

Visiting Kisumu Lakeside beat Neosasa 57-48 in a hotly-contested Kenya National Basketball League (KNBL) Division one match at Nyayo stadium on Saturday to keep their promotion hopes alive.

The Kisumu-based side came into the match wounded after a disappointing loss at home in the last game of 2023 and they had to stamp their authority or fall further down the log.

The Lakers looked out of sorts in the first quarter as Neosasa ran rings around them, seeming ready to spring up an upset as Lakeside only managed to score seven points as they trailed 16-7 at the break.  

In the second quarter, Lakeside came back a bit rejuvenated and they pushed Neosasa to the wall.

Justus Okutoyi took matters into his own hands and carried the torch for the Kisumu outfit, scoring seven points out of the stable’s 12 for the quarter as Neosasa managed a meager six but held on to the lead thanks to a slim 22-19 scoreline at halftime.

The second half started on a high note as the visitors showed their intent of taking the win as they prevailed 16-11, anchored on quick and movement of the ball.

Neosasa Morans were also not taking things lying down as they pushed hard to stay in the game, with Kevin Kimathi ensuring Neosasa remained, dropping seven points of the hosts’ 12.  

The fourth quarter saw the game have the highest scoring quarter as both teams showed their scoring mettle.

However, Kisumu Lakeside wanted the win more, as they made crucial stops and took advantage of the turnovers by Neosasa to take a comfortable lead as the fame slowly came to a close.

 The fourth quarter ended 22-15 in favour of Kisumu Lakeside, who went ahead to win 57-48.

The win takes Kisumu lakeside to ninth on the log just above Neosasa, albeit with two games in hand.

Elsewhere, visiting Coastal Kings lost to Snipers 54-49 in a hotly contested match. With the win, Snipers have perched on top of the log with 19 points.

Coastal Kings played another game later in the day against JKUAT, with the Straycats losing 59-26 in a one-sided affair.

With the losses, Coastal Kings remain rooted at the bottom of the league with only six points, while JKUAT jumped to fifth on the log.