Review: KPA men show grit, resilience to secure weekend double wins

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) head coach Robert Mugabe has praised his team’s resilience and steady improvement after securing two impressive victories in the Kenya National Men’s Basketball Premier League over the weekend.

At their Makande Gymnasium home turf in Mombasa, KPA displayed dominant form, first dismantling Strathmore Blades 71-45 on Saturday before edging Ulinzi Warriors 57-51 on Sunday, and coach Mugabe has accredited KPA’s defensive discipline as the foundation for the success.

“What has really been working for us is our defense, especially with the new players coming in and adapting well,” Mugabe noted. “We’re focused on staying competitive despite the tight schedule. Sunday’s win wasn’t our best performance, but we still managed to get the win.”

Mugabe acknowledged there is still room for growth, particularly in offensive execution and tactical awareness.

“We’re continuing to work on capitalizing on our offensive opportunities; the score line could easily have gone into the 80s,” he said. “There is clear improvement, though we still need to refine areas like defensive switches and understanding the right player matchups.”

Despite these challenges, Mugabe expressed confidence in the team’s trajectory, citing the positive atmosphere and players’ willingness to learn as key factors for future success.

“The team comes first, and the atmosphere has been very positive. The players are coachable, and I believe we’re going to enjoy this run,” he added.

The back-to-back victories gave KPA nine points from five games, with four wins and just one loss

Collated Weekend Results

Stanbic Aces 50-54 TH 3 SWISH

KPA 72-33 Strathmore Swords

Dream Girls 42-62 Zetech Sparks

Zetech Sparks 73-70 TH 3 SWISH

Men Premier League

Umoja 85-100 Equity Dumas

KPA 71-45 Strathmore Blades

UON Terror 70-88 Stanbic Shields