Kapsabet Hawks basketball team, which returned to the men’s Eldoret Basketball League (EBL) with a bang, after a five-year absence, to top this year’s table standings, was trounced 65-75 by debutants City Yankees and relegated to third position, on the log.

City Yankees, playing under the tutelage of Joseph Clinton, took to the court in high spirits, narrowly bagging the first quarter 19-18 against Kapsabet Hawks.

However, the league debutants City Yankees stumbled 14-18 during the second quarter, before recovering to beat the opponent 17-9 and held sway 25-20 in the fourth quarter, to win the closely contested game and relegate Kapsabet Hawks from Nandi County to third position, on the log, according to table standings released yesterday EBL official Kenneth Chemwok.

According to the EBL table standings Kapsabet Hawks basketball team has now been relegated to third position on the log.

In an interview with People Sport, Kapsabet Hawks coach Nelson Kipngetich conceded, “City Yankees were a hard nut to crack and gave us a run for our money. Nonetheless, Kapsabet Hawks is determined to regain the EBL table lead by winning the next games. We are determined to wrestle the EBL title from the dominance of Uasin Gishu County Eldoret-based teams to Nandi County. “

In other league games, EBL 2022-2023 season men’s defending champions Sirikwa Pentecostal Fellowship (SPF) have remarkably leapt from position five on the table standings, to second spot, garnering 8 points and tying with current league leaders Only Jesús Christ Saves (OJCS).

SPF climbed the table standings after winning three straight games against Moi University’s Maulers basketball team, University of Eldoret (UoE) Glades and earned a walkover against Nandi county-based Mosoriot Pharmers.

The former EBL champions SPF’s winning streak began by defeating Moi University’s Maulers 44-38 at Uasin Gishu (UG) primary school basketball court and surged ahead to wallop the University of Eldoret ( UoE) Glades 60-53.

SPF proceeded to earn a walkover and 3 points against Mosoriot Pharmers basketball team, which failed to honour the fixture against the former EBL champions SPF, which was scheduled to tip-off at the latter’s home ground.

In an interview analysis of the ongoing men’s league, with People Sport, EBL official Chemwok said the rapid turnover in the league’s pole position, during this year’s league, is witnessing changes virtually, after every set of weekend games.

“The league has a competitive outing this season with the registration and joining of new teams, with each side having a fully stacked 15-player roster. So, they are able to effectively compete in the EBL,” Chemwok explained.

Chemwok continued to state, “The race for the EBL pole position has become a tight five-horse race. The nascent race for the EBL title has been between the former and newly registered team Longhorns basketball team, which a fortnight ago topped the table standings, before being topped by Kapsabet Hawks, which has now been relegated to third position, after losing 65-75 to City Yankees with OJCS, Eldoret Panthers and SPF now perched in the league’s, top, second spots, respectively.”

OJCS currently occupies the pole position in the EBL table standings with 8 points and a superior Points For (PF) and Points Against (PA) compared to SPF, Kapsabet Hawks are third on the log with a similar 8 points, albeit inferior PF and PA compared to SPF, while City Yankees is placed in fourth position with a similar 8 points and Longhorns are fifth with 7 points.

EBL defending champions Wepesi are perched in the tenth position with 6 points, Storm Troopers occupy the ninth spot with 6 points too, albeit with inferior PF and PA, Calvary Warriors are ranked eighth, having garnered6 points, UoE Glades are in seventh position, having chalked7 points, and Eldoret Panthers are placed in sixth position with 6 points too.