Popular North Rift Eldoret Basketball League (EBL) took a one-week break with defending champions Wepesi still occupying pole position after dethroning their title archrivals Calvary Warriors in a nail-biting duel, winning by one basket at 61-59.

They also surged ahead to subdue stubborn debutants Iten Pacers 76-60. 

During the top-billed game in EBL circles, which was graced by scores of Eldoret City-based basketball enthusiasts, Calvary Warriors (coached by Benjamin Gumba) stunned defending champions Wepesi during the first quarter, winning 18-11.

However, the title holders recovered to eventually triumph and top the standings with 24 points, according to table results availed to People Sports yesterday by EBL official Kenneth Chemwok. 

Calvary Warriors continued to terrorise their archrivals during the second quarter of the closely fought match, held at Holtmann and Kelly Arena in Eldoret City, winning 14-8.

The performance drew wild cheers from a packed crowd that filled the court terraces to the rafters. 

Ruffled by Calvary Warriors’ sustained pressure and two-quarter lead, Wepesi changed tactics and turned the tide, bagging the third quarter 22-15. 

The champions maintained their momentum to clinch the fourth quarter 20-12, silencing their archrivals and sealing the win.

Wepesi confidently marched into their second fixture against EBL debutants Iten Pacers, walloping them 24-12 in the first quarter. 

However, the determined debutants stunned Wepesi during the second quarter, narrowly taking it 21-17. 

Wepesi regained control in the third quarter, winning 21-13, before the pulsating game ended in a 14-14 tie in the final quarter. 

The results from the two closely contested matches against Calvary Warriors and Iten Pacers enabled Wepesi to reclaim their position at the top of the EBL standings with 24 points. 

Calvary Warriors have dropped to third position in the standings with 21 points, one behind second-placed Kapsabet Hawks from neighbouring Nandi County, while Kimumu Fan Club (FC) sits fourth, also with 21 points, but with a higher 713 Points Against (PA) compared to Calvary’s 442 PA. 

City Yankees, who recently topped the standings, have slipped to fifth with 20 points—one point ahead of Only Jesus Christ Saves (OJCS), who also held the top spot a few days ago. 

Elsewhere in the league, University of Eldoret (UoE) Glades were awarded a walkover and 20 points after their scheduled opponents, Moi University’s Maulers, failed to honour the fixture.

Kimumu FC thrashed Kapsabet Hawks 61-53, Kings edged Uasin Gishu County Phoenix 65-52, Storm Trooperz defeated Team Sunday 63-51, Maulers beat Mosoriot Pharmers 38-18, and Kapsabet Hawks recovered to register a narrow 75-74 win over UoE.