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The 2022 National Basketball League playoffs enter the second round this weekend starting Friday at the MTN Arena in Lugogo.

Defending champions City Oilers will take on UCU Canons in the headline match-up of the semifinals with the series set to start on Sunday afternoon.

Oilers swept UPDF Tomahawks in the first round while Canons eased past JKL Dolphins to set up one of the most enticing series in the division

The other men’s semifinal will be between title contenders Nam Blazers and 2016 finalists KIU Titans and the series start on Friday night. Blazers eliminated KCCA while the Titans knocked out Power.

In the women’s division, KCCA Leopards and UCU Lady Canons joined JKL Lady Dolphins and KIU Rangers who had qualified for the semifinals earlier.

Leopards will face title favourites Lady Dolphins while former champions Lady Canons will battle Rangers.

NBL Playoffs Semifinals

Men

Women

Namuwongo Blazers are through to the National Basketball League Playoffs semifinals after easing past KCCA Panthers in Game 2.

The top-seeded side in the regular season won 80-57 at the MTN Arena to complete a sweep having won game one 63-42 in game one last Saturday.

They will now face KIU Titans in the best of five semifinal series, with Game 1 scheduled for Friday, September 9.

Ariel Okall (20), Deng Dikong (20), and Amisi ‘Carmelo’ Saidi (15) dunked with ease at the other end. Okall finished with a double-double, adding 11 rebounds to his 17 points while Daniel ‘Dudus’ Monoja scored 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Emmanuel Odongkara (14 points & 10 rebounds) was the only KCCA player to reach double figures in either scoring and rebounding.

In the women’s division, KIU Rangers gritted their teeth to beat Miracle Ravens 78-76 in game two to win the series 2-0.

Having lost game one 90-38, coach Arnold Katabi had demanded her Girls to put up a figh and they did exactly that in a game they led 41-29 at the long break.

However, they were hard done by a couple of poor decisions and lack of game awareness in closing stages

Brenda Alyano and Winnifred Akello scored 14 points each for Miracle but Ines Kanyamunza garnered a whooping 32 points to send KIU through.

The Rangers will now meet the winner between UCU Lady Canons and Magic Stormers, the latter leading the series 1-0.

Wednesday, August 31

Friday, September 2 | Fixtures

Two teams have so far sealed their places in the semifinals of the National Basketball League Playoffs that started on Friday.

In the men’s division, KIU Titans beat Power 70-52 in Game 2 on Sunday night at the MTN Arena to confirm their spot in the last four.

The Titans had beaten Power 68-59 on Friday in the opening game of the series that are played on a best-of-three format.

Meanwhile, JKL Lady Dolphins eased past Nabisunsa over the weekend to continue their defense of the title. Lady Dolphins won the series opener 70-40 on Saturday at YMCA and followed it with an 82-48 win on Sunday at the MTN Arena to sweep the series.

Other Match-ups

In the women’s division, KIU Rangers beat Miracle Ravens 90-38 in Game 1 on Saturday, and Game 2 will be played on Wednesday, 31st August.

The series between KCCA Leopards and Angels Basketball Club are tied at one all after Leopards bounced back from the defeat on Friday to win Game 2 72-63 with Martha Soigi scoring 24 points.

Magic Stormer shocked UCU Lady Canons 52-47 on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

In the men’s division, Namuwongo Blazer lead their series against KCCA Panthers 1-0 after a 63-41 win on Saturday in which Amisi Saidi scored 24 points. Game 2 of the Series will be played on Wednesday, 31st August.

The series between UCU Canons and JKL Dolphins as well as City Oilers and UPDF Tomahawks will start on Friday, 2nd September.

Sunday Results

Wednesday, August 31 | Fixtures

Friday, September 2 | Fixtures

Uganda Men’s National Basketball team, Silverbacks, will head to Ivory Coast for the final round of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers without Artur Kaluma.

The US-based power forward will not make the trip to Abidjan, Ivory Coast with the Silverbacks as he is nursing an injury.

It’s a blow for the Silverbacks whose preparations for the round have also been hindered by financial hardships.

Kaluma has been averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3 assists in the qualifiers.

The Creighton Bluejays star has been replaced by UCU Canons’ Titus Lual Odeke who missed the previous window in Kigali.

The lanky Odeke averaged 9 points and 10.2 rebounds in the National Basketball League regular season as UCU Canons finished second on the log in the regular season.

Lual is the only change in the roster heading to Abidjan from the team that played in Kigali two months ago.

Silverbacks Squad 

Ivan Muhwezi, Jimmy Enabu, Tonny Drilleba, James Okello, Titus Lual Odeke, Jonathan Komagum, Ishmail Wainwright, Robinson Opong, Deng Geu, Emmanuel Womala, Kieran Zziwa, Emmanuel Mugenga

With the regular season of the National Basketball League set to end on Sunday, the three teams that will not be competing in the top flight are now known.

Tropical Royals completed the list of relegated teams following a 75-85 loss to Ndejje University Angels on Wednesday night.

It was a do-or-die game for both teams with the victor staying in the premier basketball division in the country.

The Royals (8-15) will play their last game of the season against UCU Canons on Friday. They join Falcons (0-24) and Victoria University (5-19) as the three relegated teams from NBL.

Tropical Royals fell behind 22-15 in the first quarter and never recovered with the writing on the wall at halftime.

Samuel Ajak led Ndejje with 23 points, Haron Alinaitwe added 21 while Kumbai scored 13 points to go with 20 boards.

Denis Tom Omara (17), Juma Osman (14), and Norman Musinguzi (10) scored in double figures for Tropical Royals.

Wednesday Results

Uganda’s U18 national basketball girls’ team, Junior Gazelles, is off to Madagascar for the FIBA U18 AfroBasket.

The team leaves for the tournament that tipped off after just a week-long preparation.

The team is without Patience Karungi staying behind but Head coach Ali Mavita is optimistic nonetheless.

“We had the same team in Cairo so this is not a new stage for them.

“We are looking forward to getting a good tournament and going as far as possible. Our target is a podium place.

“Being that this team has been together for a while, it makes our work easier as coaches in terms of bonding. They are a great group of girls,” she said.

This will be the fourth time the Junior Gazelles will be featuring at the U18 Afrobasket after previous appearances in 2008 (Tunisia), 2016 (Egypt), and 2018 (Mozambique).

The top two teams will qualify for the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup that will be hosted in Madrid, Spain. The event will take place from July 15 to 23.

The Players

Coaches

Junior Gazelles, Uganda’s U18 national basketball girls’ team, flies to Madagascar on Friday for the FIBA U18 AfroBasket.

The tournament tipped off today with the Junior Gazelles drawn against Mali, Algeria, and hosts Madagascar in Group A.

Head coach Ali Mavita is optimistic the team that has been in a residential camp at the Africa Bible University in Lubowa will put up a good fight and targets the podium.

“We had the same team in Cairo so this is not a new stage for them. We are looking forward to getting a good tournament and going as far as possible. Our target is a podium place.

“Being that this team has been together for a while, it makes our work easier as coaches in terms of bonding. They are a great group of girls,” she said.

This will be the fourth time the Junior Gazelles will be featuring at the U18 AfroBasket after previous appearances in 2008 (Tunisia), 2016 (Egypt), and 2018 (Mozambique).

The Players

Coaches

Other Officials

Friday Results

Namuwongo Blazers extended their winning streak in the National Basketball League to nine games on Friday night after holding off UCU Canons 64-61 at Lugogo Indoor Stadium.

Blazers (16-4) had to overcome UCU’s zone defense in order to split the regular season series and ascend to third in the table.

Canons (14-5) who trailed by a point (46-47) at the start of the fourth quarter quickly surged to a 7-point lead and suffocated Blazers with zone at the other end.

However, Blazers quickly scrapped back before the Player of the Game Paul Odong hit a pair of triples with the second leveling the game at 56.

Amis Saidi scored a rather quite game high 17 points and 14 rebounds to lead Nam Blazers. David Deng and Odong contributed 15 points apiece.

Peter Sifuma scored 14 points and picked 11 rebounds off the bench to lead UCU, Fadhil  Chuma added 12 and 11 rebounds while Jerry Kayanga had 11 points.

Walter Tavares and Williams Tavares combined for 43 points as Cape Verde defeated Uganda’s Silverbacks 87-78 in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers on Saturday.

Williams scored game-high 22 points while Walter 21 points before fouling out of the game.

The first half was as close as they have come in the past meetings with Cape Verde up by a point (44-43).

The Islanders only pulled away a built a 21-point lead into the fourth quarter as Silverbacks went through a scoring drought.

When Emmanuel Trovoada went to his bench, Silverbacks chipped away and came to within 2 points (78-81) to create a tense finish.

Joel Almeida (14 points) made a tough lay-up and later drew a foul to ice the game with a pair of free throws.

Cape Verde skipper Fidel Mendonca contributed 11 points while Ivan Almeida picked game-high 11 rebounds.

Ishmail Wainright scored a quiet 21 points, Arthur Kaluma added 17 points to go with 5 boards while John Deng Geu and Robinson Opong contributed 12 and 11 points respectively.

Despite the defeat, Uganda advances to the second round of the qualifiers with Mali disqualified for forfeiting two games. Uganda returns to action on Sunday afternoon against Nigeria.

The Uganda National Basketball team – Silverbacks have claimed a much needed win by forfeiture after opponents Mali failed to show up in the 2022 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers at the BK Arena in Kigali.

Mali players are reportedly protesting against the Fédération Malienne de Basketball’s failure to pay them.

Kawowo Sports reports that “some players refused to leave the hotel while those that came to the Arena refused to kit up.”

Uganda warmed up for nearly half an hour as they waited for Mali to show up. The West Africans were accorded 15 minutes before tip off but they couldn’t be seen anywhere.

Uganda will now play their first game on the court tomorrow against Cape Verde who beat Nigeria earlier today.