Monday Semi-finals REG 97-101 KPA Rwanda Energy Group (REG) women basketball club’s journey at the inaugural season of the FIBA African Women Basketball League (AWBL) came to a shocking end following a 97-101 semifinal loss to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) on Monday, December 18. With the win, KPA became the first Kenyan team to reach a final of a FIBA Africa clubs competition. Playing a star-studded Rwanda Energy Group (REG) in a repeat of the Zone V qualifiers final, KPA picked a 101-97 win to become the first finalists of the new-look continental championship. ALSO READ: AWBL: REG women, KPA resume rivalry in semis Skipper Natalie Mwangale led her side by example scoring 8 three-point shots and only once on the paint for 26 points, completing a rare double-double with 13 assists and going one rebound shy of a triple-double. Victoria Reynolds added 26 points as Hilda Indasi, Rita Aluoch and Madina Okot all managed double digits in points with 15,14 and 12 respectively. The Kenyan champions raced to an 8-2 lead, but REG responded with a six-point run that brought them to within a point at 9-8 and again at 10-11. KPA went on another run to lead 18-12, with Mwangale pulling up for a three with 4.20 minutes to go. The Rwandan side went on a ten-point scoring spree to take the lead at 22-18 but the dockers had Mwangale and Reynolds score three treys to restore their lead for 29-24 in the first quarter action that saw coach Esperance Mukaneza play only her starting lineup. ALSO READ: REG coach eyes podium finish at Africa Women's Basketball League Destiney Promise Philoxy got action in the second quarter going from the free-throw line and added a layup and 1 to tie the game at 29 in the opening minute of the second period. Indasi then scored five for a 34-29 as Aminata Samassekou went for a step back trey to give the dockers a 38-33 lead four minutes into the second period. Feza Isomi, Philoxy and Chantal Kiyobe made contributions on the paint to reclaim the lead for the Rwandese Zone V silver medallists at 39-38. Ojukwu called for a timeout and his charges instantly responded with 5 off the break to lead 43-39 as they held on for a 54-47 lead to the halftime break. Reynolds and Aluoch opened an 11-point game lead at 58-47 but Philoxy, who had so far been REG's best player on the court, pulled up for a jump shot moments later for 58-49. The 10-point difference remained at 61-51 off a Nia Clouden layup as REG scored 13 in the opening five minutes of the third to trail 71-60. A determined Rwandan side went on another run to come within six pints of the Kenyan champions at 79-73 with 1:23 to play but the Kenyans held on for 83-74 at the end of the period. REG kept the fight going in a dramatic final period that had them trailing by just five at 89-84 with 5 minutes on the clock and further down to three at 95-92 with 3 minutes of play remaining. Okot scored to take it back to 97-92 but responded immediately with a layup for the advantage to remain. Philoxy made it a two-point game at 99-97 with a trey that brought her side the closest they had been since the first quarter see-saw. REG picked two costly fouls that took Indasi and Reynolds to the line, each missing once but it was enough to take them through to the final. ALSO READ: AWBL: Unstoppable REG confident of title glory “It is a tough loss, but we have to regroup, refocus and come back better, for the bronze medal match, Philoxy, who played for a game-high 41 points and seven assists said. Tiffany Mitchell and Clouden finished with 26 and 17 points respectively.
