• National Basketball League
• Friday, July 14, 2023
• KIU Rangers 55-77 JKL Lady Dolphins

JKL Dolphins registered a thumping 77-55 victory against KIU Rangers in the National Basketball League at YMCA Court on Friday.

Perus Nyamwenge topped the scoreboard with 20 points and five rebounds but it was not enough to give the Kasanga-based side a victory.

For the Dolphins, Ritah Imanishimwe had 15 points while Taudenciah Oluoch and Flavia Oketcho scored 12 and 11 respectively.

Last year’s runners-up had a great start to the game hence setting the required momentum into the game.

The Dolphins started on the driving seat to lead 23-8 at the end of the first stanza.

The KIU Rangers tried to fight back in the second stanza but only fell short by three 22-19 hence trailing by 18 points (45-27) going into the long break.

The Dolphins lost steam in the second stanza and only lead the third frame by two points 15-13 just like the fourth 17-15.

The victory improved Dolphins’ record to 12-2 after playing the 14th game while the Rangers’ record now stands at 11-4 in the ongoing campaign.

The victory keeps the Dolphins in the third position while the Rangers lie fourth.

• National Basketball League
• Friday, July 14, 2023
• UCU Canons 47-66 Nam Blazers

Namuwongo Blazers registered a convincing 66-47 victory against UCU Canons in the National Basketball League at the YMCA Court, Wandegeya on Friday.

The victory meant Namuwongo Blazers have now sealed a seventh straight win in a row hence glueing the side on top of the 12-teamed log.

Peter Cheng and new signing Williams Jimmy D led the scoring board with 18 points each.

Jimmy D went 5-for-12 from the two-point mark and two-for-six outside the paint hence harvesting 18 points in his second show for his new side.

While Cheng added nine rebounds hence being named the player of the game.

Micheal Makiadi rose highest to grab 18 rebounds ensuring possession remains in the hands of the Blazers.

For the Blazers, Joel Kayira, Lwabaga Ibanda and Jimmy Otim scored a double posting 12, 11 and 10 points respectively.

Kayira went ahead to pull down 19 rebounds to take charge of the paint.

The Canons missed the services of their gaffer Nicholas Natuhereza as well as forward Rogers Dauna and centre Peter Sifuma.

The Canons took charge of the first quarter to lead 16-11 before the Blazers timely responded taking charge of the second quarter 17-11 thus edging the former by a point before the long break (38-37).

Blazers were on fire in the third quarter (23-11) before they sealed their victory in the final frame (15-9).

It’s the third loss for the Mukono-based side that has previously lost to Ndejje University Angels and KIU Titans.

National Basketball League

• UCU Lady Canons 75-49 A1 Challenge

UCU Lady Canons comfortably registered a 75-49 well-deserved victory against A1 Challenge in the National Basketball League at YMCA Court, Wandegeya on Wednesday.

Lady Canons captain Hajara Najjuko led the raid pouring in 19 points while Shillah Lamunu and Millicent Otieno added on 16 and 11 respectively.

For A1 Challenge, Vivian Nafuna Lusamamba and Faith Apio scored 13 and 12 to place their names on the list of those that harvested a double-digit.

It was win number nine for the Lady Canons who have so far played 12 games off the going NBL campaign.

While A1 Challenge suffered the 13th loss in the 17 games played amidst a way better show in the second round of the campaign.

The victory takes Lady Canons to the seventh position while A1 Challenge is eighth on the log.

A1 Challenge started off on a positive note edging the Lady Canons to a point (16-15) at the end of the first quarter.

Later on, the Lady Canons returned to work taking away the second quarter after posting a 17-12 score. It meant both sides went to halftime as the scoreboard read 32-28 in favour of UCU.

After recess, the Mukono-based side scored a total of 43 points before limiting A1 Challenge to only 21 in a one-sided encounter.

Next on the menu, Lady Canons face Kampala University while A1 Challenge set a date with Angels.

National Basketball League

• KCCA Panthers 72-65 Kampala Rockets

KCCA Panthers registered a 72-65 hard-fought victory against Kampala Rockets in the National Basketball League at YMCA Court on Wednesday.

It was a thrilling and entertaining game as both sides fought for bragging rights in the Kampala derby.

The game attracted a very limited turn-up as most of the seats on the court were bare. However, that could not stop the action from going underway.

Like the name sounds Rockets, they started off with the right vigour and energy hence leading the first quarter 20-15.

But the Panthers responded smartly with great energy hence taking away the second stanza by posting 23-14. At halftime, KCCA Panther had a narrow lead of four points (38-34).

The victory meant the Panthers had completed a double against the Rockets after beating the side twice in the ongoing campaign.

The NBL player of the game was Abel Omomgin who dropped 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

Daniel Gaaki led the scoring sheet for Panthers with 14 points before Gaius Mahamba and Emmanuel Odongkara added 12 respectively.

While Emmanuel Okumu and Kur Garang are the only two players from the Rockets wing that managed to scoop a double-digit, the duo scored 15 points each.

The victory for Panthers improved their record to 6-9 while Kampala Rocket still slumber with a 4-11 record.

The Panthers are seventh on the log while the Rockets are second from the bottom.

FUBA has revealed the travelling squads ahead of the FIBA U16 Africa Championship.

The Junior Silverbacks and Junior Gazelles will be part of the continental championship.

The FIBA U16 Africa Championship is set to be held in Monastir, Tunisia from July 13 to 23.

It will be the second time Uganda play at the grand stage after doing so in the previous championship that was hosted by Egypt in 2021.

To achieve the feat, Uganda beat Rwanda and Tanzania to win the FIBA U16 Zone Five tournament in Kigali, Rwanda earlier in June.

The Junior Gazelles (girls) earned a ticket to Tunisia because they finished fourth in the previous championship.

The two top teams in the tournament (either category) will qualify for the 2024 FIBA U17 World Championship.

National Basketball League

Wednesday, June 05, 2023

Men

• Rezlife Saints 65-85 KIU Titans

Women

• Miracle Eaglets 84-66 Nabisunsa

New signing Denis Balungu was the biggest difference as KIU Titans came from down to see off newbies Rezlife Saints in the National Basketball League game played at YMCA Court, Wandegeya on Wednesday evening.

The Kasanga based side registered an 85-65 victory against Rezlife Saints to post their 13th victory in the ongoing campaign.

Balungu poured in a game high of 30 points to sail the Titans past the motivated Saints side which had a great start to the game.

To achieve the high mark, the Congolese guard converted eight threes from 11 attempts to ditch the  Daniel Najja Juuko’s side.

At the end of the first quarter, Rezlife led 23-18 thanks to the great energy that was exhibited in the first 10 minutes of the duel.

In the second quarter, the Titans stepped up and got hold of the block (19-9) hence going to the long break while in the driving sit 37-32.

Julius Lutwama’s side got their craft even better in the second half and by the final whistle of the third quarter came, Titans led 23-18 before they put they put the icing on the cake in the fourth block 22-13.

For the Titans, Amisi Saidi and Henry Okoth were also in double figures scoring 16 and 10 points respectively to ensure the victory goes their way.

The Saints had only two players with a double. Claude Aligawesa and Arnold Kisekka scored 13 and 12 respectively on the night.

The victory meant the Titans had bagged a double having beaten the Saints 74-54 in the first round in March this year.

The Titans’ record is currently 13-2 while Rezlife dropped to 3-10 hence cementing their position at the bottom of the table.

On Friday, the Titans will be back on the court as they take on Namuwongo Blazers.

The Junior Silverbacks clinched the Zone Five Championship title on Friday which was held in Kigali, Rwanda.

The victory meant that Uganda has qualified for the 2023 FIBA U16 African championship that is due on July 12 to 23 in Tunisia.

The team’s head coach Michael Seger has already shifted attention from the victory attained onto the assignment ahead of him together with the boys.

“We are excited having won the tournament (Zone Five Championship). But now we shall switch to organising for Tunisia. We have to regroup and do lots of training,” Seger revealed.

“We have to work on a few things that we highlighted during the concluded championships. We also have to finalise with our roaster so that we have 12 competitive players thus being fully ready for Tunisia,” he added.

To reach the feet, Uganda beat Tanzania 116-49 in a one-sided duel that was played at LDK Gymnasium.

“The win on Friday meant so much to the team. It was our goal to come and qualify for the AfroBasket in Tunisia. We were able to do thanks to the great play tonight.”

“For Uganda, it is a great honour to achieve the milestone and for us (the team) it’s a privilege to come and represent the country.

“We now have a chance to go to Tunisia and play at the Afro basket which is a clear sign that the game is on a great growth. I am glad that am part of the continuing growth of the game.”

It will be the second time Uganda play in the tournament having made its debut in Cairo, Egypt back in 2021.

• FIBA U16 Africa Zone V Qualifiers
• Wednesday, June 28, 2023
• Rwanda 56-59 Uganda

Junior Silverbacks picked their first win of the FIBA U16 Africa Zone V Qualifiers after edging hosts Rwanda in a heated duel.

Uganda started on the right note after registering a 59-56 victory against Rwanda at the LDK Gymnasium, Kigali.

Tejan Joel Rugette scored a game-high of 27 points and added 13 rebounds to post a thrilling double-double.

The game was treated to an amazing ambience that was put in place by the youthful crowd that turned up to rally behind their home boys.

Shortly after the game, Junior Silverbacks tactician Micheal Seger revealed the win is the first step towards a positive destination and he will only ask the boys to keep their eyes on the prize.

“The win tonight was big for our first game as we have two more to fight for. But tonight was the first step in the right direction as we seek to qualify for Afro Basket in Tunisia,” the gaffer noted.

“The game against Rwanda was challenging. The crowd was full but most of the fans were for the home team and I thought put up a great fight in such an ambience,” he added.

“Defensively it gave us a chance to remain in the game even if we made some unnecessary turnovers early. The boys were unselfish and played a team game switching and covering up each other.”

With only one spot up for grabs to go to Tunisia, the Junior Silverbacks will seek to fight for victories in the coming games to keep their chances much alive.

The boys will return to action today as they play against Burundi at 8 pm in the LDK Gymnasium Arena, Kigali.

National Basketball League

• Magic Stormers 59-49 A1 Challenge

Magic Stormers registered yet another spirited victory against the on-form A1 Challenge in a 59-49 National Basketball League victory at YMCA Court.

A1 Challenge had beaten Nkumba Marines (62-56), Nabisunsa Girls (53-49) and Kampala University (75-32) but the winning streak could not live past the Magic Stormers.

The victory took the Magic Stormers to the second position on the ladies’ NBL log.

Auma Angella scored a game-high of 17 points having played only 23 minutes. She later added one rebound and three assists to ensure her side go back home victorious.

At the end of the first stanza, A1 Challenge was ahead of the Stormers with a 15-7 lead.

But John Omondi’s coached side bounced back to post a 20-7 run hence going to the resting rooms with a five-point lead (27-22).

After recess, A1 Challenge regained the mojo and poured in 21 points limiting the Stormers to only 12 however in the final quarter the tables drastically turned.

It was a 20-6 run in favour of the Stormers hence fighting from down to complete a sweet double against A1 Challenge.

National Basketball League

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Men

• Our Saviour 66-73 Power

Women

• Magic Stomers 59-49 A1 Challenge

Power completed a double against Our Saviour in the National Basketball League after a 73-66 victory at the YMCA Court on Wednesday evening.

In the first leg, Power went past Our Saviour in a 63-55 win. However, it was their maiden victory in the second round.

After falling to Namuwongo Blazers in the opener of the second round, Power came all out to get back to winning ways.

Power’s new signing Ozias Kikomba put up yet another great show pouring in 17 points and 12 rebounds. He was also elected as the man of the match.

The other new entrant in Kevin Ogunjimi made his debut for Power feeling and getting acclimatised to the court for only five minutes.

Power’s skipper turned up like a true leader as he scored a game-high of 22 points and added 10 rebounds to seal off a double-double as his side won the right game.

Power had a great start to the game with a 24-14 lead after the first quarter but was edged in the second and third (17-16) and (17-14) respectively.

Before they won the last quarter by a point to post 19-18. Our Saviour will feel undone as they looked the better side on the attack but their execution was so poor.

Power will return to action as they take on Ndejje University Angels on Friday at their most preferred ground YMCA in Wandegeya.

Friday, June 30, 2023 | Fixture

Men

• Ndejje Angels vs Power
• UCU Canons vs KIU Titans