The last month has seen the best of the best go head-to-head in this year’s Nakuball League.

After the high-intensity basketball showcased in the playoffs, the big question now is: who’s punching their ticket to the finals and lifting this year’s trophy?

At the end of the regular season, Kabarak Royal, Rift Valley National Polytechnic (RVNP), KITI Titans and Nakuru Basketball Academy (NBA) finished as the top teams on the log.

However, nothing was guaranteed as they had to battle Ravine, Vikings, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and Lanet in the playoffs to determine who would advance to the semi-finals.

Each matchup was set as a best-of-three series to decide which squads would move forward.

In the first series, Ravine shocked the Kabarak Royals by stealing Game 1, but in Games 2 and 3 Kabarak flipped the script, showing why they were the top seed this season by taking both games convincingly and punching their spot into the semis.

RVNP matched up against Vikings, and with RVNP being seasoned finalists, they brought their A-game from the tip. They dominated the series end-to-end, completely outclassing the Vikings and sending them home early.

Throughout the regular season, JKUAT have held onto their slogan, “kutangulia sio kufika.” As back-to-back champions, JKUAT rarely burn all their fuel in the regular season.

But the KITI Titans quickly learned why JKUAT are the defending champs after failing to take a single game off them in the playoffs, giving JKUAT a clean sweep and an automatic berth in the semi-finals.

The underdogs of the season, NBA, squared off with Lanet. The Lanet squad came ready, handing NBA back-to-back losses in what in hoops terms is a full sweep sending NBA crashing out of the postseason.

And then there were four.

In the semi-final matchups, Kabarak faced Lanet and managed to win their best of three games by dominating Lanet in two of the three games, advancing to the finals.

While in the other semi-finals, JKUAT and RVNP renewed their rivalry and at the moment thing are not done and dusted we await next week to see who will be facing Kabarak in the finals.

In the women’s category, Kabarak Royals, RVNP, JKUAT and Lifeline topped the regular-season standings.

The four teams are set to battle in a best-of-five series to determine who books a spot in the finals.

RVNP faced Lifeline and closed out the first three games with authority, sweeping the series and securing an automatic ticket to the finals.

In the second matchup between JKUAT and Kabarak, the defending champions won three of their five games. Securing a ticket in the finals.

In the women's category the stage is set for the finals between RVNP and JKUAT.

Rift Valley National Polytechnic (RVNP) Rockets crowned champions after thrashing Kabarak University

Author Spotlight

Bret Sanya