Strathmore Blades II capped their successful debut season in the Division 1 league with a qualification to the top flight Basketball League where Equity Bank awaits them in a five-game series final.

 

En route to the finals, Blades II proved to be the better side when the team convincingly beat their arch rivals Kenyatta University in a best of five series in the Semifinals. Blades beat KU Pirates three consecutive games after dropping the first game 57-61 a game that saw guard Peter Shilton score 25 points and Hugh Ayara added 18 for Blades.

 

Kenyatta university were on the receiving end in game two where Blades forced a tie of the series wining by ten points in a 74-64 tally. Guard Peter Shilton and Hugh Ayara again topped the scores for Coach Tony Ochieng’s side bagging 20 and 18 points respectively. Game three of the series that was to be the tie breaker went in Blades favor, beating KU by 21 points, 93-72 with Shilton again bagging a game high of 35 points while Hugh Ayara continued by green in the series contributing 23 points to Blades’ tally.

 

Blades II then completed their rout of KU Pirates with a deserved 79-93 win in a high scoring game played at the Kasarani gymnasium and aired live on Super Sport 9. Pirates were determined to force a game five by winning this one but Blades were equally focused on joining the premier league. A huge 25-9 lead at the end of first quarter was testimonies of Blades’ ambition followed by 20-27 win the second quarter. The third quarter was forced into tie at 23 before Blades lost the fourth at an insignificant 27-18. Peter Shilton again led the onslaught nailing 18 points.