Our Savior registered their second win of the season in as many games after beating Nam Blazers 75-65 on Sunday at the MTN Arena in Lugogo.

They, however, needed to overcome a 17-point deficit to beat a side that was in the finals a couple of seasons ago and also regarded as contenders this term.

The Blazers were in charge after the first quarter and had a massive 17-point lead at halftime as they excelled offensively both in transition and in the halfcourt.

However, in the third quarter, Our Savior had a different approach to the game, especially on defense which set them up for good offensive possession cutting the deficit to zero by the end of the third quarter.

Our Savior carried the momentum into the fourth quarter to register victory led by Joseph Wacha and Moses Mugisha who scored 17 points apiece.

In the other men’s game played, JKL Dolphins beat KCCA Pathers 69-64.

Arthur Wanyoto (17), Martin Ouma (12) and Austin Odhiambo (10) led the Dolphins while Ceasar Kizito scored a game-high 18 points on his debut for KCCA.

Victoria Cup 2023:

• 31^st January 2024 – Official practice round & flag raising ceremony
• 1^st – 3^rd February 2024 – Playing days
• 3^rd February 2024 – Closing Ceremony
• Venue: Uganda Golf Club, Kampala

Uganda’s National Golf Team head coach Flavia Namakula named the final team of 10 players set to battle Kenya in the 2023 Victoria Cup at Uganda Golf Club, Kampala.

This followed a gruelling epoch of qualifiers where each squad member played 72 holes, carrying their golf kit.

The final team has a mixture of senior and junior players who sportingly qualified after the qualifiers at the Uganda Golf Club, Kitante.

The players that made the team include; Joseph Reagan Akena, Ibrahim Bagalana, Amon Bwambale, Joseph Cwinya-ai, Joseph Kasozi, John Musimenta, Titus Okwong, Andrew Ssekibejja, Ibrahim Ssemakula and Elton Thembo.

About the Victoria Cup:

The Victoria Cup is an annual golf tournament between the national teams of Uganda and Kenya.

In 2022, the tournament returned after a two-year absence at Limuru Country Club in Nairobi, Kenya with Kenya winning the tournament.

The 2023 edition was not held after a request from Kenya to postpone the event.

Uganda National Golf Team:

Players: Joseph Reagan Akena, Ibrahim Bagalana, Amon Bwambale, Joseph Cwinya-ai, Joseph Kasozi, John Musimenta, Titus Okwong, Andrew Ssekibejja, Ibrahim Ssemakula and Elton Thembo

Head coach: Flavia Namakula

Team manager: Sam Kacungira

Uganda and Germany will again face off at another leg of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger as the series heads to Montevideo, Uruguay for the second round in 2024.

As per the draws, the two sides have been drawn in Pool C with Uruguay and Papua New Guinea for the tournament which will be played from March 8-10.

Apart from Germany, Uganda did not meet their new opponents in the pool during the Dubai round. They have met and beaten both Papua New Guinea (twice) and Uruguay (once) before in the 7s Challenger Series – the former in Montevideo in 2020 and Stellenbosch in 2023, and the latter in Santiago in 2022.

Men’s Pools for 7s Challenger 2024 Montevideo

• Pool A: Kenya, Tonga, Georgia, Portugal.
• Pool B: Chile, Japan, Hong Kong, Mexico.
• Pool C: Uruguay, Germany, Uganda, Papua New Guinea.

The Uganda Women Sevens are also in Pool C with Argentina, Thailand, and Mexico. They faced two of the three opponents during the Dubai round – Thailand in the pool phase and Argentina in the bronze medal match.

Women’s Pools for 7s Challenger 2024 Montevideo

• Pool A: China, Poland, Czechia, Paraguay.
• Pool B: Kenya, Belgium, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong.
• Pool C: Argentina, Uganda, Thailand, Mexico.

The 2024 MTN Monthly Tee officially got underway with the January edition at the par-71 lakeside Entebbe Golf Club.

A massive field of 173 golfers braced the friendly sunny weather conditions for the medal play event on Saturday, 20th January.

By the close of business of the one-day event, handicap 19 golfer Herbert Opolot emerged as the overall winner with a nett score of 65.

“I had a perfect round that I enjoyed. I am happy for the victory” Opolot said of his win at the 19^th hole.

Meanwhile, Next Media Chief Executive Officer Kin Karisa took charge of the men’s Group A pool with 75 nett. Karisa was a stroke better than Paul Habyarimana.

Kirarira Twijukye toped Group B (68 nett) and Mathias Zzungu was runners up with 69 nett.

In Group C, Louis Tumukunde was best with 66 nett, a stroke better than Entebbe Club chairperson Jacob Byamukama.

In the seniors’ category (55 years and above), Etienne Marin was outstanding with 74 nett while Jovia Tugume won the ladies cluster with 71 nett ahead of Ruth Mugisha (73 nett).

Obiga Omia (69 nett) a member of the West Nile Golf Club was the outstanding guest.

Hole-in-one

James Joash Okema hit a hole-in-one on the par-3 hole 12.

Okema, a handicap 22 golfer, used a Titleist 2 black Pro V ball with an 8 Iron club to hit the ace as witnessed by Michael Ssekadde, Timothy Okanya and Timothy Lwanga.

January 2024 MTN Monthly Tee

• Overall Winner: Herbert Opolot – 65 Nett

Group A:

• Winner: Kin Karisa – 75 Nett
• Runners up: Paul Habyarimana – 76 Nett

Group B:

• Winner: Kirarira Twijukye – 68 Nett
• Runners up: Mathias Zungu – 69 Nett

Group C:

• Winner: Louis Tumukunde – 66 Nett
• Runners up: Jacob Byamukama – 67 Nett

Seniors: Etienne Marin – 74 Nett

Ladies:

• Winner: Jovia Tugume – 71 Nett
• Runners up: Ruth Mugisha – 73 Nett

Guest Winner: Obiga Omia – 69 Nett

Hole-in-One: James Joash Okema (On Hole 12)

Kampala Old Boys (KOBs) Rugby Club management has named Victor Wadia as interim head coach.

Wadia replaces Brian Makalama with whom the club parted ways mutually after coming to the end of the tactician’s contract.

Makalama joined KOBs nearly two years ago, taking over from Fred Mudoola who was appointed Uganda Rugby Cranes head coach.

“We wish to inform our members and the rugby fraternity at large that Victor Wadia will be taking over the reins at KOBs RFC after mutually parting ways with Coach Brian Makalama,” a statement released by the club on Friday afternoon read in part.

“We are extremely grateful for Coach Brian Makalama’s contribution towards the elevation of KOBs RFC and wish him well in his future endeavours.

During Makalama’s two-season tenure, KOBs finished second and third in the Rugby Premier League, fifth and third in the National Sevens Series, and twice lost the Uganda Cup semifinal.

Wadia, who has been managing development side Boks and women’s club Panthers, will be assisted by Davis Kyewalabye and Allan Masiko. Kyewalabye was player-coach at KOBs for the past two seasons.

The Uganda Golf Union (UGU) has named the national teams ahead of the Victoria Cup slated for February 1-3 at Uganda Golf Club in Kampala.

The provisional team is comprised of ten (10) Seniors and four (4) Juniors who will embark on the preparations before the final team is confirmed by the head coach Flavia Namakula.

The seniors include Joseph Cwinya-ai, Ibrahim Bagalana, Michael Tumusiime, Morris Ashaba, John Musimenta, Reagan Akena, Andrew Ssekibejja, Amon Bwambale, Titus Okwong and Joseph Kasozi.

The four Juniors are Brian Mugabi, Elton Thembo, Cosmos Ociti and Ibrahim Ssemakula.

The team will start residential training on 22^nd January 2024 and the final squad will be announced three days later on 25^th January.

The Victoria Cup is an annual golf tournament between the national teams of Uganda and Kenya.

In 2022, the tournament returned after a two-year absence at Limuru Club in Nairobi, Kenya with Kenya winning the tournament.

Cricket Cranes suffered two defeats to National Cricket Club in their first two T20 games on Friday as their Training Tour to India got underway.

The two games showed the Cricket Cranes have a lot of work to do with their bowling and fielding as they failed to defend 166 runs in the first game and 188 in the afternoon.

In the first game, Ronald Lutaaya marked a return to the national team colours with a solid half-century, knocking 52 runs off just 33 balls in some aggressive batting. Kenneth Waiswa (26) and Robinson Obuya (21) came in handy as Uganda set 166 for a loss of six wickets.

However, Cricket Cranes failed to control their destiny with the ball as the home side scored freely and easily to ensure that they stayed with the required rate. Kenneth Waiswa (3/5) was the pick of the bowlers but his efforts couldn’t stop the home side from closing out the win by two wickets.

In the afternoon game, Roger Mukasa stepped up and a scored magnificent half-century, blasting 64 runs off 42 balls. He found support from Ronald Lutaaya (37) as the Cricket Cranes finished on 180/8 in their 20 overs.

The hosts (National Cricket Club) were brutal in the run chase finding the boundaries and gaps regularly as they kept up with the required rate and in the end, they got over the line in a clinical fashion winning by seven wickets.

Jackson Ogwang’s. charges again failed with the ball but should take lots of positives from the performance of the batters, especially the very positive strike rates of each batter.

The golfing fraternity heads to Entebbe Club as the first major tournament of 2024 at the facility takes centre stage on Saturday.

At least 150 golfers are booked for the day-long MTN Monthly Tee, the first event of the year.

The numbers are expected to swell as the golfers return from the festive and New Year celebrations.

The tournament mode of play will be medal with an awards ceremony after the day closes at the 19^th hole.

The MTN Monthly Tee tournament is played once every month at Entebbe Club with full sponsorship from the telecommunications giants MTN Uganda.

January 2023 Draw

KIU Rangers confirmed the departure of guards Perus Nyamwenge and Captain Ninette Uwineza.

Nyamwenge joined KIU in 2020 as a promising talent and went on to become one of the best in the Women’s National Basketball League, especially last year when the Rangers reached their first NBL finals.

Meanwhile, Uwineza joined KIU Rangers in 2015 and has served the club with love, passion and commitment that also culminated in a finals appearance last season. 

The duo is reported to have joined KCCA Leopards which makes the former champions contenders for the upcoming season that tips off next week.

KIU Rangers will start their season against JT Jaguars on Friday, January 26th while KCCA Leopards will battle A1 Challenge.

KIU Titans have confirmed the departure of atleast five players who prominently featured for the side last season as they reached the National Basketball League finals.

Leading the cast is Congolese big man Amisi Saidi and forward Denis Balungu. The other players include former skipper Joseph Chuma, Innocent Ochera and Isaiah Ater Mabeny.

The five players were crucial as the Titans finished runners-up in the National Basketball League in the 2023 season.

Chuma has been an incredible part of KIU Titans’ story for the last six years and his unbridled passion for the game and club can never be disputed. The forward joined KIU in 2017 and leaves the club as a darling to the fans and has joined Namuwongo Blazers along with Ochera.

Apart from Isaiah Ater Mabeny who joined KIU Titans in 2022, the other three players Balungu, Innocent Ochera and Amisi Saidi the club in 2023.