Wisa wants league title after African Clubs Championship success

Freshly-minted African Clubs Championship champions, KCB captain Edith Wisah believes their victory over Al Ahly of Egypt in the final of the continental competition will help them win the elusive Kenyan league title.

KCB Tuesday night won the African Club Championship title after a scintillating 3-1 win (25-18, 25-22,11-25, 28-26) over Al Ahly of Egypt in the final in Kelibia, Tunisia.

Wisa said the new found form will be a stepping stone for the Bankers, who have played second fiddle to reigning champions Kenya Prisons in the local league in the last two seasons, to challenge for the title.

“We have our sights now on the Kenya Volleyball Federation league title. We are in good form and the win has given us morale and gusto to go for more titles,” said Wisa, who was also named the championship's best blocker.

“Pipeline and Prisons are good competitors. It's unfortunate we had to meet at the knockout stage against Prisons.  I know the rivalry is still at play ahead of the regular season and the play-offs,” she added.

This is the first continental club title for Wisa, who crossed over to KCB from Prisons in 2020.

Wisa was not part of the Prisons team that won the title in 2013 as she was undergoing training at the Prisons Staff Training College in Ruiru.

The Bankers are the first Kenyan club to win the trophy since Kenya Prisons in 2013. It is their second title after a 3-2 win over Al Ahly in the 2006 final in Mauritius.

At the same time, KCB Technical Director Paul Bitok has revealed the strategy they employed in the final against Al Ahly.

Bitok offered that bagging the first two sets and tactical substitutions 
destabilised their opponents.

“Prior to the final, we knew we were coming up against an experienced side which has eight titles to their name. We managed to bag the first two sets but fatigue checked in since players had used more energy thus we lost the third set," said Bitok.

"The fourth set was crucial to us as we recalled Sharon Chepchumba, Emmaculate Nekesa and Edith Wisa who we had rested in the mid stages of the third set,” added Bitok, who doubles up as the Kenya women’s national team head coach.

“We trailed for the better part of the fourth set but the introduction of Phosca Kasisi in place of promising middle blocker Belinda Baraza did wonders as we managed to tie the score 25-25 thanks to her hard service that threw Ahly into panic mode before we won the match."

"I want thank our compatriots Kenya Pipeline for winning bronze and Prisons for finishing fifth. The team work of all the coaches in Tunisia saw KCB win the title for Kenya after a long spell. I thank KCB management and fans back home for their overwhelming support. We are bringing the trophy home and we want to celebrate with them,” Bitok added.

Bitok also was full of praise for left attacker Mercy Moim who was part of the KCB team that defeated Ahly 3-2 in Mauritius in 2006.

At the time, Moim the national team captain, was a form three student at Cheptil High School.

Kenya Pipeline secured bronze after coming from behind to record a nail-biting 3-2 win (20-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 15-11) over home side Carthage while Prisons finished fifth after seeing off  Rwanda Patriotic Army 3-0(25-10, 25-19, 25-20) in the fifth-place playoff.

The Kenyan teams are scheduled to arrive in the country on Thursday 7:25 am.