Ocholla challenges KPA to stay sharp as Blades boost top-four push

KPA women's basketball team during a training session at NYayo stadium/ HANDOUT

Kenya Ports Authority head coach Samuel Ocholla has challenged his players to maintain focus and intensity as they close out the first leg, even as the team continues to dominate the National Women’s Basketball Premier League.

Ocholla’s call comes on the back of a commanding run that has seen the Dockers stretch their unbeaten streak to nine matches following a resounding 101-38 victory over Lady Titans at Makande Gymnasium.

The result keeps KPA firmly atop the standings on 18 points, with the remaining fixtures against Zetech and USIU now serving a dual purpose. “The players are performing very well. We planned to start strongly, and we’ve managed to organise ourselves well. I’m pleased that with every game, our efficiency keeps improving, which will really help us going forward as we prepare for the second leg of the league,” said Ocholla.

With the first phase nearing its conclusion, the KPA tactician signalled a shift toward refining systems and testing tactical variations without losing their competitive edge.

“We are left with two matches against Zetech and USIU, which we will also use to start trying out different systems as we get ready for the second leg. We believe we will be ready to kick off at any time within this month.”

Driven by strong internal competition and high training morale, Ocholla framed the final fixtures as both performance checkpoints and psychological preparation for the title push. “We just need to keep pushing and keep working. Everyone knows our target, and each player is preparing to improve from where they were before. In training, the morale is high, and everyone is focused and ready for the upcoming games.”

As KPA balances controlled experimentation with sustained dominance, attention now shifts to how effectively they can carry this momentum into the second leg.

In the men’s competition, Strathmore Blades are gaining momentum at a crucial stage of the season, with head coach Tony Ochieng describing their weekend sweep at Nyayo Gymnasium as a turning point.

Back-to-back wins over Africa Nazarene University Wolfpacks (64-47) and Ulinzi Warriors (62-55) have lifted the Blades to 11 points from seven matches, strengthening their push for a top-four finish.

“The boys rose to the occasion, taking on tough games and emerging with maximum points. They wanted it more and showed great character,” said Ochieng.

He credited improved rebounding structure and transitional control for the upturn in form. “We swept our opponents who came hard at us. The boys kept pushing, and I would say those were good wins. I must commend them because this has really boosted our chances of a top-four finish in the first leg."

With the decisive stretch approaching, both sides appear to be sharpening their tactical identities while building momentum for the next phase of the season.