FAM KE Warriors Are The New Jr. NBA Nairobi Champions

NAIROBI, Kenya- FAM KE Warriors battled to a 34-30 victory over Elite Pacers to be crowned the 2018 Jr. NBA Nairobi Champions on Saturday at the Nyayo National Stadium.

Warriors forward Solomon Piper propelled his team to victory with 14 points in a match where they struggled to contain their opponents from Umoja.

Pacers had a narrow 18-17 half time lead thanks to another solid performance from the 2018 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kevin Mugisha who also bagged 14 points.

Warriors came back from the break looking more lively as Piper and final MVP Luol Eric took control of the tie to give their side a slim 21-20 lead at the end of the third quarter.

First title

Piper scored a crucial three-pointer to give his team a vital seven-point cushion with five minutes remaining in the game.

The Pacers refused to give in as Mugisha spear headed a late comeback but his efforts were not enough as Warriors saw out the match comfortably to win their first ever title.

Saturday’s final marked the culmination of a month of Under 14 boys’ basketball which saw 30 local school teams taking part.

Each school team represented one of the NBA teams and played their games in corresponding NBA team-branded jerseys.

The Nairobi league structure also mirrored the NBA’s with the teams divided into the Eastern and Western Conferences with the top eight from each conference qualifying for the playoffs.