Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)’s 2016 Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges (UPAC) Basketball Championship bronze medal could have been had off court issues been better according to Adbul-Wahab Salifu.
University of Ghana beat defending champions Accra Polytechnic 45-44 to be crowned champions of the third edition of the Championship.Accra Polytechnic had won previous editions in 2011 and 2015.
The Center made the statement in the aftermath of KNUST’s 48-45 win over Takoradi Polytechnic in the third place game of the competition at the University of Ghana. The win gave KNUST a second consecutive win over “The Oilers” in the competition. The Kumasi-based side beat Takoradi Polytechnic in the earlier of the quarter finals stage.
Speaking to Basketballghana.com, Salifu was happy with his team’s achievement but was quick to point out how things could have been different. He said:
“We went through a tough time even coming to take part in the competition… some of our players were not able to come that is one of the setbacks.”
Injuries to holdovers from last year’s team Kwame Akrasi and Edem Dompeh robbed the team off some of its’ experienced players forcing the likes of Ekow Amoako, Samuel Baah and George Opoku-Pare to lead the team.
KNUST qualified to the quarter finals by topping Zone D and beating University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) and Takoradi Polytechnic before losing to Marshalls University College. The team lost 47-49 to eventual champions University of Ghana in the semi finals.
