Kapsabet Hawks reclaim top spot in EBL fixture
By Bosco Magare, June 17, 2025Kapsabet Hawks narrowly trounced Uasin Gishu (UG) County 56-52 to regain the top spot in the Eldoret Basketball League (EBL) after being temporarily dethroned by City Yankees, as the race for the pole position intensifies into a three-horse battle.
Meanwhile, Kimumu FC, Eldoret Panthers, OJCS, and defending champions Wepesi mounted pressure for the league’s 4th to 6th positions.
Playing under the tutelage of Coach Nelson Kipngetich, the Nandi County-based Kapsabet Hawks, buoyed by the presence of experienced players, took the lead in their clash against UG County Phoenix.
The game played at the Sirikwa Pentecostal Fellowship (SPF) court in Eldoret City saw point guard Alfred Nagweya score valuable points for the Hawks.
Speaking to People Sports on June 16, 2025, coach Kipngetich said, “Our point guard Nagweya, fondly known as ‘IQ’ in Eldoret basketball circles, was key to our team’s victory over UG County Phoenix over the weekend. Nagweya averages 15 points per game.”
“Nagweya played a valuable role, egging on teammates, centre player Davies “Big Man” Kingili, Dennis Kibich, forward Sydney Kipchirchir, and shooting guard Collins Kimutai, to collectively score more points against UG County Phoenix,” Kipngetich added.
Supported by equally potent teammates, Kapsabet Hawks triumphed over UG County Phoenix, garnering 56 points against their opponent’s 52 in a closely contested duel played at a packed SPF court.
The Hawks had initially faltered, trailing 9-12 and 13-16 in the 1st and 2nd quarters, respectively, before recovering in the 3rd quarter with a narrow 8-6 win and mounting a blistering 4th quarter onslaught to secure a 26-18 win.
The victory catapulted Kapsabet Hawks to the EBL summit with 12 points in a tight race against former league winners Sirikwa Pentecostal Fellowship (SPF), who also have 11 points, and City Yankees, who also sit on 11 points but with an inferior Points Against (PA) of 474 compared to SPF’s 310.
While Kapsabet Hawks, SPF and City Yankees battle for the pole position, the league is also witnessing a fierce fight for mid-table positions, with defending champions Wepesi, OJCS, Kimumu FC, and Eldoret Panthers all tied on 10 points and occupying 4th to 7th positions based on their Points For (PF) and Points Against (PA) margins.
The four teams engaged in fierce, nail-biting matches over the weekend, eager to outdo one another in the standings.
Eldoret Panthers, facing Kimumu FC, lost 65-71 at the SPF court. Panthers bagged the 1st quarter 28-17 but stumbled in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, losing 7-17 and 16-22 respectively.
They mounted a spirited comeback in the 4th quarter, narrowly losing 14-15.
Panthers’ shooting guard Kenneth Chemwok attributed the loss to Kimumu FC’s experience in closeout situations and blamed marginal mistakes in the final five minutes.
Elsewhere, at the Calvary Chapel indoor basketball court, defending champions Wepesi overpowered OJCS 76-67.
At the same time, bottom-ranked UG County Phoenix stunned 5th-ranked OJCS and Iten Pacers picked up points after edging out the University of Eldoret (UoE) 72-65, as UG also lost to 15th-ranked Moi University’s Maulers.