QBC, Phoenix survive scares to retain KBA crowns

Basketball
QBC and Wolves were level on 433 points apiece after six games before the defending champions won the decider.
Mariud Ngula
  • 6 Hours Ago

Quality Basketball Club (QBC) and University of Namibia (Unam) Phoenix survived stern challenges from last season’s runners-up to retain their Khomas Basketball Association (KBA) Premier League crowns in the capital last weekend.

QBC fought back from 2-0 and then 3-2 down to defeat Unam Wolves 4-3 in their best-of-seven championship series at Deutsche Höhere Privatschule Windhoek (DHPS).

At the same venue, Phoenix overcame two narrow defeats to Ongos Shooting Stars to claim a fifth consecutive Women’s Premier League title with a 4-2 series victory.

The top-flight champions thus completed league-and-Heroes Cup doubles, having won their respective KBA Heroes Cup titles in August.


QBC comeback

QBC's first title defence echoed their breakthrough championship last year, when they also lost the opening two games to Wolves before winning four straight to claim their maiden Premier League crown.

This time around, Wolves went two-up with 78-65 and 79-72 victories before the defending champions answered with 78-66 and 73-68 wins to level the series at two-all. Wolves hit back with a 71-63 game-five victory to move within one win of the title at 3-2.

With their backs against the wall, QBC responded with an 82-71 victory in game six to force a deciding game seven.

At this point, the entire best-of-seven series was dead even on points, with QBC and Wolves having scored exactly 433 apiece heading into the decider.


QBC blow out Wolves in decider

QBC, however, saved their best for last, routing Wolves 86-63 in their biggest victory of the series to seal a 4-3 triumph and back-to-back championships.

Winning captain Samuel “King of Plaza” Waendama was overjoyed at his second championship, attributing their repeated comebacks to having the “heart of a champion” and cautioning against ever doubting them.

“I feel like a Mohammed Ali. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Back against the ropes, but I put you to sleep. I felt like I had something to prove,” an elated Waendama said.

Asked whether his side would pursue a third championship next season, Waendama was confident.

“It’s coming. It’s all about development and improvement. [In the off-season] I’ve got to improve my jump shot and left-hand drive,” he explained.

Waendama also called on the City of Windhoek to refurbish the United Nations (UN) Plaza in Katutura, which he highlighted as a breeding ground for up-and-coming basketball talent.


Phoenix complete five-peat

The Women’s Premier League produced another familiar championship pairing between four-time defending champions Unam Phoenix and last season’s runners-up Ongos Shooting Stars.

This time around, however, Shooting Stars refused to go down without a fight, taking two games off Phoenix after being swept 4-0 in last season’s final.

Ongos wasted no time claiming the opening game 57-53 before Phoenix responded convincingly to take games two and three 87-54 and 73-47.

Phoenix faced another setback in game four when Ongos levelled the series at two-all with a narrow 71-68 victory to keep their title ambitions alive.

Shooting Stars had won their two encounters by a combined seven points, but the eventual champions wasted no time regaining control.

Phoenix closed out the series with 67-58 and 68-43 victories to clinch the championship 4-2, having won their four encounters by a combined 93 points while holding Ongos below 60 in each.

Phoenix’s Azul Ngueve, who posted a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double in game six, credited their success to the teamwork among the players.

“I am proud of my team and coaches. [Ongos] put up competition compared to last season. It wasn’t easy, but like we say in Phoenix, we rise from the ashes. That’s what we did here,” she said.


Cadets sweep to Premier League promotion

Unam Cadets, meanwhile, completed the cleanest championship run of the three divisions.

They swept Unam Wolves II 3-0 in their best-of-five Division One playoff final series, having finished third in the division last season and missed out on promotion.

Their flawless run secured promotion to the Premier League with a 69-56 Game Three victory at Unam Gym Hall on 17 October.

Cadets had opened the series with a hard-fought 78-72 victory before strengthening their grip on the championship with a 68-54 win in game two.

The six-point margin in the opener was the closest Wolves II came throughout the series, as they managed only 54 and 56 points in the next two games, with Cadets stretching their winning margins to 14 and 13 points respectively.

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