Panthers Pounce at Last
After months of heartache and an 11 loss streak, the African Nazarene University (ANU) Panthers finally broke their curse — and by just a whisker. In a nail-biter at Nyayo Stadium, the Panthers clawed their way to a 49-48 win over Th3 Swish, earning their first victory in the 2024-2025 Kenya National Basketball League (KNBL) Women’s Premier League regular season.
Results
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Th3 Swish | 8 | 19 | 8 | 13 | 48 |
| ANU | 11 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 49 |
Maker Dengdeng lit up the court with a team-high 17 points, leading the Panthers’ spirited second-half charge. Despite scoring 8 less in the second quarter (11-19), the Panthers returned in the second half with a renewed fire. The third quarter was a tight one, with ANU edging it 10-8. But it was in the fourth where they truly roared to life.
With captain Nicole Atieno and Henrie Desiree joining Dengdeng in the late-game heroics, the Panthers outpaced Th3 Swish 17-13 in the final stretch. Their tactical defense and fearless drives to the hoop finally paid off — barely, but beautifully.
Th3 Swish, for their part, started strong. Lavender Opondo dazzled with a game-high 18 points, fueling her side’s dominance in the second quarter. But in the end, they couldn’t hold off a Panther squad desperate to end their drought.
