Ulinzi Warriors torch Gambela City to storm FIBA Zone V semis

Ulinzi Warriors stormed the Zone Five East Africa Basketball Club Championship semifinals after defeating Ethiopia’s Gambela City on Tuesday at the Nyayo Gymnasium, Nairobi.

Ulinzi started strongly, taking the first quarter 24–17 before edging the second 16–15 to lead 40–32 at halftime. After the break, both sides tied 22–22, but the Kenyan side finished dominantly with a 20–4 run in the final quarter to seal the victory.

The win saw Ulinzi top Pool B, having earlier beaten Tanzania’s Stein Warriors 73–57 in their opening match.

They will now face the winner of tomorrow's semifinal clash between Kenya’s Umoja and Ethiopia’s Gambela City.

Les Hippos of Burundi, who topped Pool A, will battle the winner between Stein Warriors and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the other semifinal scheduled for tomorrow.

Speaking after the match, Ulinzi head coach Bernard Mufutu praised his players for their defensive discipline but admitted there were still areas that need improvement.

“I still feel we didn’t play so well in some areas, we missed a lot of easy baskets, and we’ve been averaging around 20-plus turnovers, which isn’t good,” said Mufutu.

“We’re going to make a few adjustments and minimize mistakes as we head into the semifinals. Overall, I think our defense was good, the aggression was there, and we hope to put in the much-needed effort to secure a win in the semis.”

Elsewhere, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) defeated compatriots Umoja 75–64 in their final Pool A game.

However, the victory was not enough to secure them a direct ticket to the semifinals, forcing them to battle it out against the Stein Warriors in a road-to-semifinal clash scheduled for today.