Kenya retained their Singlife Nations Cup title after defeating hosts Singapore Vandas 55-42 in Saturday’s (8 Nov) final at the OCBC Arena. The defending champions took control early with a 17-12 first-quarter lead and extended it to 29-21 at half-time through sharp shooting from Lydia Nyapere and Hellen Sinoya.
Despite a spirited third-quarter fightback from Singapore, who reduced the deficit to six goals, Kenya finished strongly to secure victory, with Nyapere and Sinoya boasting 95% and 93% shooting accuracy respectively. Papua New Guinea claimed third place with a 69-54 win over Malaysia, while Singapore A beat the Isle of Man 53-39.
Kenya captain Parin Nasambu Simiyu credited her team’s success to improved communication and unity, noting how composure and teamwork helped them regain control in key moments.
Nyapere, who returned from an ankle injury to play a pivotal role, said her determination to support her teammates pushed her to continue despite the pain. “The Divas are dancing queens — that’s our way of celebrating and releasing tension,” she said with a smile.
Singapore head coach Tara Steel praised her side’s adaptability and defensive effort, saying the silver medal was still a strong result and valuable preparation for the upcoming SEA Games. “We improved from last year — losing by smaller margins and showing better depth,” she said.
Steel added that the tournament experience would help the team fine-tune their game plan ahead of facing regional rivals like Malaysia.
Co-captain Toh Kai Wei reflected positively on the campaign, saying the team learned valuable lessons on composure and attacking structure. “We discovered our weaknesses and strengths, and it’s good to have things to work on,” she said.
“Playing in front of a home crowd again was special — their support gave us the energy to keep fighting.”
