The Unam Wolves' ambitions of reaching the finals of the Khomas Basketball League (KBA) received a major boost on Saturday after they secured a decisive 89-82 victory over Unam Rebels at the Unam Gym Hall.
The playoffs feature four teams, Wolves, Rebels, Afro-Stars and Quality Basketball, battling for two places in next month's final. The format is a best-of-seven series, with the first two teams to win four games advancing to the final.
Unam Wolves are now in a commanding position, having also won the first clash against the Rebels 88-71. With two victories already under their belt, they need just two more wins to seal their place in the final. Meanwhile, in the other playoff series, Quality Basketball has emerged as the surprise package. Despite finishing fourth in the regular season, they stunned league leaders Afro-Stars with a 66-61 win in Saturday's second encounter, having also edged them 59-58 in the opener. Like Wolves, they now need only two more wins to book a spot in the final.
Speaking after Saturday's matches, the KBA marketing manager John Tjirimuje said this year's playoffs have been full of twists.
"It's a very unpredictable playoff. Afro-Stars dominated the league season but are now struggling against a team that finished fourth. Quality have already won twice and need just two more games, but nothing is certain, Afro-Stars could still bounce back to win the remaining four matches," he explained.
He added that Wolves' performances highlight the intensity of the competition. "The Wolves have shown how hungry they are for the title. These past two fixtures prove that in this league, anything is possible, no matter where you finished in the regular season. We'll see what the coming weeks bring, but right now it's hard to explain what we've witnessed on the court," he said.