Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) have withdrawn from the Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2020 final qualifiers for Eastern Division within hours to the tournament’s kickoff in Kigali. According to reports, the club is currently faced with internal wrangles and financial constraints that they could not afford the trip to Rwanda despite reaching the final round of qualifiers as Group F leaders in the first round in October. #BREAKING: Kenyan champions KPA have pulled out of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) final round qualifiers — East Division — just hours before the tournament starts. Games will be starting at 3pm, not 1:30pm as it was initially planned. #BAL2020Q #RoadToBAL2020 pic.twitter.com/s9RD6tsn5i — The New Times (Sports) (@TimesSportRW) December 17, 2019 KPA were due to start their quest for the BAL 2020 ticket against Uganda’s City Oilers this afternoon, at 5:30pm, at Kigali Arena. However, following the last minute withdrawal of the Kenyan champions, City Oilers will start with a rest day before facing Ferroviario de Maputo, of Mozambique, on Wednesday. The tournament’s opener pits GNBC of Madagascar against Zambian giants UNZA Pacers, starting at 3pm, with the second game between Ferroviario de Maputo and South Sudan’s Cobra Sports at 5:30pm. Rwandan champions Patriots will be up against JKT, from Tanzania, in the final game of the day at 8pm.
