TH3 Swish head coach Ariel Okal talking to the players/ HANDOUTTh3 Swish head coach Ariel Okal says his side has shifted its focus to the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) National Women’s Premier League playoffs after securing qualification with four regular-season matches still to play.
Swish confirmed their place in the postseason with a 61-52 victory over Lady Titans at the USIU Grounds on Sunday, moving to 30 points from 18 matches after registering 12 wins and six losses.
With a playoff spot secured, Okal said the team’s objective is now to fine-tune its performances while maintaining momentum heading into the knockout phase.
“With Sunday’s win, Swish has clinched a playoff slot. Everything moving forward is about preparing for the postseason and trying to win as many games as possible to build momentum,” said Okal.
“Our dream is to compete in the finals, and we want to give ourselves the best chance of making that happen.” The coach praised his players for recovering from a mid-game slump to finish strongly against Lady Titans.
“The girls picked up from where they left off last week by bagging another win and increasing their chances of competing in the Kenya Basketball Federation playoffs that will start in about a month. We started really well,” he said.
“We had some lapses in the second and third quarters, but the girls recognised their mistakes, rectified them, and closed the game really well in the fourth quarter. We had players who were clutch, attacking the paint, drawing fouls and converting their free throws.”
Swish have established themselves as one of the Women’s Premier League’s most consistent teams this season, winning 12 of their 18 matches for a 66.7 per cent success rate. Their latest victory strengthens their credentials as genuine title contenders ahead of next month’s playoffs.
Elsewhere in the KBF Premier League, Nairobi City Thunder defeated Lakeside 80-61 in the men’s competition, while Safe Spaces edged Dream Girls 65-63 in a closely contested women’s fixture.
