Debutants City Yankees have dethroned Nandi county-based Kapsabet Hawks, to occupy pole position in the men’s Eldoret Basketball League (EBL) as newly registered teams dominated top EBL table standings.

Eldoret-based City Yankees basketball team, which registered to join the popular Uasin Gishu county EBL, top the table standings with 13 points, a point abreast dethroned Kapsabet Hawks with 12 points, according to latest league ranking results shared with People Sport yesterday by EBL’s official Kenneth Chemwok.

City Yankees coached by Joseph Clinton, wrestled Kapsabet Hawks from the EBL pole position,  after overcoming stubborn University of Eldoret (UoE) Glades 69-57, during a league game played at Holtman and Kelly Arena basketball court, in Eldoret City.

Second-placed Kapsabet Hawks, share a similar 12 points with newcomers  third ranked Iten Pacers with 12, albeit has inferior Points For (PF) and Points Against (PA) 380 and 410, respectively. Fourth table ranked are one EBL champions Sirikwa Pentecostal Fellowship (SPF) with 11 points and fifth is Calvary Warriors 10 points.

Sixth ranked is Kimumu FC, with similar 10 points like Calvary Warriors, but has  inferior PF and PA, compared with SPF, seventh ranked are league defending champions Wepesi with tailenders being Mosoriot Pharmers as City Yankees, bask in glory, topping the EBL with 13 points after team’s game against University of Eldoret (UoE) Glades.

Clinton’s charges City Yankees, crushed UoE Glades, with experienced players in its stable 29-14  at the end of the game’s first quarter.

City Yankees, bouyed by outstanding players Bivon Omweri and forward Humphrey Mandela, continued to dictate pace during the second quarter of the match and narrowly pipped University of Eldoret Glades 18-16 with the latter’s players Modecai Tarus, Collins Bii, Brian Nganga, Alex Kiptoo and Anthony Bungei, displaying spectacular team effort.

UoE Glades, regained their poise in third quarter and clawed City Yankees 15-12 and  elicited a standing ovation from a section of their fans, who turned up at Holtman and Kelly  Arena basketball court to watch, the exhilarating encounter.

City Yankees, bounced back on the home stretch, to narrowly win the 4th quarter 12-10 with Bivon Omweri having scored a high 24 points and earned 11 rebounds, while teammate forward Humphrey Mandela, chalked 16 points and executed 14 rebounds and shooting guard Daniel Subiri, notched 18 points, created 8 assists , which aided in Yankees earning 16 points.

In a post match with People Sport,  City Yankees coach Clinton, stated “ it was a good match up against University of Eldoret’s Glades team. Every City Yankees player came out to play hard and we purposed to win each quarter of the game, so this intent propelled our game.”

“ Team work and ball sharing is our blue print for our victories, during games. But our team’s awareness of of the importance of defense, makes our victories, more achievable,” Clinton recalled.

Clinton continued to state “  UoE Glades picked their momentum in the third and fourth quarters to try and catch up with Yankees,  but we have also mastered closing our quarters, so UoE Glades did not stand a chance, from the smoke we created, specially in the first quarter.”