Nairobi, Kenya – Friday, November 14, 2025, EAT

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) women's basketball team's ambition of securing a direct ticket to the FIBA Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) finals was shattered on Friday night following a devastating 62-45 semi-final loss to Rwanda Energy Group (REG) at the Nyayo National Gymnasium. A recurring pattern of a third-quarter meltdown, which had surfaced in their final group stage match, returned to haunt the Kenyan champions, leaving their continental aspirations hanging by a thread.

A victory in the semi-final of the FIBA Africa Zone Five qualifiers would have guaranteed KPA a spot in the final and, more importantly, automatic qualification for the prestigious WBLA tournament scheduled for Cairo, Egypt, in December. Instead, the dockers must now fight for a third-place finish against Burundi's Les Hippos on Saturday, November 15, with the hope of securing a potential wild card entry.

A Tale of Two Halves

KPA began the game with promise and intensity, taking the first quarter with a comfortable 16-9 lead. However, the momentum began to shift in the second quarter, with REG fighting back tenaciously. The Rwandan side managed to erase the deficit and edged ahead by a single point, ending the first half with a narrow 33-32 lead.

The third quarter proved to be the decisive period of the match. KPA's offense crumbled, and their defense was unable to contain a resurgent REG. The Kenyan team managed to score a mere six points in the entire quarter, while their opponents capitalized on numerous turnovers to pour in 23 points. This 17-point swing created a deficit from which KPA could not recover. According to FIBA, KPA went scoreless for over five minutes during this period as REG's defense intensified. The final quarter was more evenly contested, with KPA slightly outscoring REG 17-16, but the damage had already been done.

Tactical Masterclass and Key Performances

REG appeared to have meticulously studied KPA's strategy, effectively neutralizing their key offensive threats. Players like Betty Kananu, Mercy Wanyama, and Ifunanya 'Iffy' Okoro were consistently shut down. The situation worsened for KPA as Okoro and point guard Aminata Semassekou both suffered injuries during the game, further disrupting the team's rhythm. Senegalese center Aminata Ly, usually a dominant force for KPA, was also effectively contained by the Rwandan defense.

For REG, American guard Kayana Traylor delivered a standout performance, leading the charge with 18 points. Former KPA player Chantal Kiyobe also came back to haunt her old team, scoring 11 points. Kristina King was instrumental as well, securing a double-double with 10 points and 16 rebounds, dominating the defensive boards.

Player Reflections and the Road Ahead

Speaking after the match, a visibly disappointed Betty Kananu struggled to pinpoint the exact cause of the collapse. "This is one of the games where you take it in as a hard luck loss... We started well in the first quarter, but the third quarter went haywire. Something went wrong and really went wrong," she stated on Friday. "The issues with the third quarter, we will have to look inwards as players and the coaches too to know what we can do to improve and do better."

The loss means the tournament final will be an all-Rwandan affair between REG and APR, who defeated Les Hippos 82-61 in the other semi-final. Both Rwandan teams have now booked their automatic qualification for the WBLA finals in Cairo. For KPA, the focus now shifts to the third-place playoff, a match that has become a must-win to keep their hopes of competing at the continental level alive.