Uganda U18 Boys’ National Basketball Team, Junior Silverbacks, start the 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket campaign against Angola in the Group B encounter on Wednesday.

It’s the Junior Silverbacks’ third appearance at the AfroBasket following their debut in 2016 in Kigali – Rwanda, and in 2018 in Bamako, Mali, where they settled for 9th and 10th, respectively.

In Angola, a four-time champion and the team with the most appearances in the tournament’s history, Uganda faces a stern test but their performance in the qualifiers gives optimism even with defending champions Egypt and record seven-time winners Nigeria in the same group.

The Junior Silverbacks earned their spot in this tournament by winning the FIBA U18 Zone V Championship earlier this year.

Uganda has some impressive talent including Joel Rugette, who was instrumental in their Zone V triumph, averaging 10 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. Rugette is not new to continental events, having averaged 27 points at the U16 Afrobasket in Tunisia last year.

The squad features many of the players who shone in the Zone V Championship, including Edrine Ekau, Mukisa Nkugwa, Aaron Victor Makmot, Brighton Galiwango, and Peter Sserunjogi.

Uganda faced Angola at the 2016 FIBA U18 Afrobasket, where they suffered a heavy 59-105 defeat.

Groups

• Group A: Mali, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal.
• Group B: Egypt, Angola, Angola, Nigeria.
• Group C: South Africa, Morocco, Zambia, Rwanda.

NBL Finals | Result

• City Oilers 70-61 KIU Titans

The defending champions, City Oilers, secured a 70-61 victory over KIU Titans in Game One of the National Basketball League Finals on Wednesday evening.

The win gives the City Oilers a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series.

The reigning champions dominated the first period, building a three-point (19-16) lead.

The Oilers further asserted their foot into the game as they created an eight-point (37-29) lead going into the long break.

However, KIU Titans staged a comeback in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to just one point (51-50).

Ultimately, the Oilers’ experience and consistent scoring proved too much for the Titans as secured a nine-point victory.

Parrish Petty led the way for the Oilers with 20 points, while Malual Dier and Fayed Baale added 15 and 12 points, respectively.

Titus Lual grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds.

On the Titans’ side, Peter Obleng scored 20 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Oilers’ advantage.

The series now shifts to Lugogo Indoor Arena for Game Two on Friday, August 30.

UCU Lady Canons took charge of the National Basketball League Playoffs finals after defeating defending champions JKL Lady Dolphins 71-66 in a thrilling Game 1 encounter at Lugogo.

The Lady Canons had a quick start establishing a 15-7 lead by the end of the scrappy first quarter. Their momentum carried into the subsequent quarter and the university side was up 40-23 at halftime.

However, the Lady Dolphins fought back in the third quarter, reducing the deficit to just eight points.

JKL kept chipping away in the fourth quarter and with just under three minutes left in the final quarter, Rita Imanishimwe hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 60.

In the tense fourth quarter, Bridget Aber (UCU) and Jane Asinde fouled out of the game.

UCU’s captain Shakirah Nanvubya was instrumental, leading all scorers with 21 points. Tracy Namugosa and Shilla Lamunu also made significant contributions with double-digit scores of 17 and 11 points, respectively.

Asinde, despite fouling out, led JKL Lady Dolphins with 17 points, followed by Ekone Brenda with 12, while Hope Akello and Imanishimwe both added 11 points.

JKL will be looking to bounce back in Game 2 on Friday.

KIU Titans advanced to the finals of the National Basketball League after defeating Namuwongo Blazers 81-78 in Game 5 on Sunday night at Lugogo Indoor Stadium.

The Blazers started the game hot with Peter Cheng hitting a couple of 3-pointers but the Titans recovered well to end the first quarter with the game tied at 20-all.

KIU had a hot start to the second quarter assuming a 9-point lead before Blazers rallied back to trail by 3 points (41-38) heading into the halftime break.

The Kasanga-based side continued leading the way with Namuwongo playing catch up and the sides could not be separated at the end of the fourth quarter sending the game into overtime.

KIU Titans looked the most mentally prepared for the extra five minutes with Edgar Munaba finding room to hammer down a dunk that all but sealed their place in the finals.

Peter Obleng who has shone throughout the series finished with a game-high 22 points, Munaba added 20 points and pulled down 17 rebounds, Joel Lukoji contributed 14 points and Kasereka Tembo chipped in with 12.

On the other hand, Innocent Ochera netted a team-high 19 points, Cheng scored 18 and skipper Paul Odong contributed 11 points while Michael Makiadi had a 13-point and 18-rebound double-double.

KIU Titans will face City Oilers in a repeat of last year’s finals. Game 1 will be played on Wednesday night.

NBL Playoffs | Result

• Namuwongo Blazers 75-68 KIU Titans (2-2)

The National Basketball League semifinal series between Namuwongo Blazers and KIU Titans took another dramatic turn on Thursday night at Lugogo Indoor Arena.

The Blazers secured a hard-fought 75-68 victory, levelling the series at 2-2 and forcing a decisive Game 5.

Peter Obleng’s long shot climaxed the first quarter as KIU Titans opened a nine-point lead (25-16) at the end of an interesting period.

The Blazers fought back to narrow the gap to two points (38-36) by halftime.

In the third quarter, Namuwongo Blazers took control of the game, creating a six-point (59-53) lead heading into the final period.

Peter Cheng was a standout performer for the Blazers, contributing a double-double with 23 points and 15 rebounds.

Paul Odong and Choul Nyuot also played key roles, scoring 11 points each.

On the side of the Titans, Joel Lukoji (19 points), Juf Mpiya (13 points), and Peter Obleng (11 points) led the scoring with double-digit contributions.

The series now heads into a winner-takes-all Game 5, where both teams will be eager to secure their place in the NBL finals.

The stakes are high, and the fans can expect another thrilling encounter.

NBL Playoffs | Result

• KIU Titans 76-74 Namuwongo Blazers (2-1)

In a thrilling NBL semifinal matchup at Lugogo Indoor Arena, the KIU Titans staged a remarkable comeback to defeat the Namuwongo Blazers 76-74 on Tuesday evening.

This victory gives the Kasanga-based side a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series.

The Blazers started off strong, dominating the first quarter and building a 10-point lead (21-11).

However, the Titans fought back in the second quarter, narrowing the gap to just two points (36-34) by halftime.

The Titans’ momentum carried over into the third quarter, where they outscored (28-19) the Blazers and took a seven-point (62-55) lead heading into the final frame.

The game reached a dramatic climax in the final minutes, with both teams trading baskets and the tension rising.

With just over three minutes remaining, the game was briefly halted after a Blazers player was accused of throwing an object onto the court.

After a brief delay, play resumed, and the Titans held on to secure a two-point sweet victory.

Joel Lokoji, Kasereka Tembo, and Edgar Munaba led the Titans’ scoring effort after dropping 21, 15, and 14 points, respectively.

Jimmy Williams (17 points), Peter Cheng (15 points), and Innocent Ochera (13 points) paced the Blazers’ offence with double-digit scoring performances.

The Titans’ ability to shoot the three-pointer effectively was a key factor in their victory, as they made eight of 20 attempts from beyond the arc.

The Blazers struggled to find their range from distance, converting only 11 of 40 three-point attempts.

NBL Playoffs | Results

UCU Lady Canons 52-48 KIU Rangers (2-1)

In a hard-fought battle at Lugogo Indoor Arena, the UCU Lady Canons edged out the KIU Rangers 52-48 to regain a 2-1 lead in their NBL semifinal series on Tuesday evening.

Despite facing a relentless defensive onslaught from the Rangers, who forced the Lady Canons into numerous turnovers and limited their long-range shooting, UCU managed to maintain their composure and secure the victory.

The Lady Canons started the game strong, establishing a six-point (20-14) lead by the end of the first quarter.

They continued to control the pace in the second, extending their advantage to eight points (29-21) at halftime.

However, the Rangers made a spirited comeback in the third quarter, outscoring UCU (12-7) to narrow the gap to just three points.

The fourth quarter was a tense affair, with both teams battling for every possession. Ultimately, the Lady Canons’ resilience and clutch play proved to be the difference.

Shakira Nanvubya and Hajara Najjuko led the way offensively for UCU, scoring 14 and 11 points respectively.

Sharon Kirabo and Racheal Nanyonga contributed 11 points each for the Rangers.

The series now shifts back to KIU’s hand of mercy, as the Rangers will have to fight for a victory in game four in order to force a decisive Game 5.

• Result: UCU Canons 55-62 City Oilers (0-2)

City Oilers took a step closer to reaching the finals after defeating UCU Canons 62-55 in the National Basketball League semifinal on Sunday evening at Lugogo Indoor Arena.

If they win game three, the reigning champions will have a strong chance of clinching their 10th NBL title.

UCU Canons scored first, but at the end of the first period, they were trailing the City Oilers by four points (15-11).

At halftime, City Oilers extended their lead to 11 points (35-24) with the game witnessing two technical calls.

After the break, the Canons improved their defence, holding City Oilers to just 10 points, but still trailed by nine points (36-45).

Despite the Canons’ efforts in the final quarter, City Oilers managed to secure a seven-point victory in front of a lively crowd.

Titus Lual led the City Oilers with a double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Ben Komakech (16 points) and Ivan Muhwezi (12 points) also significantly contributed to the Oilers’ score.

For the Canons, Ibanda Lwabaga (14 points), Peter Sifuma (14 points), and Joel Kayiira (12 points) all scored in double digits.

• Result: KIU Titans 81-77 Nam Blazers

The KIU Titans levelled the semifinal series by defeating the Namuwongo Blazers 81-77 in the National Basketball League at Lugogo Indoor Arena.

The KIU Titans opened a four-point (20-16) lead after a competitive first period.

Before halftime, the Titans limited the Blazers to only 17 points while scoring 23, resulting in a 10-point (43-33) lead.

After halftime, KIU dominated, opening a 21-point lead against the struggling Blazers by the end of the third quarter.

Although the Blazers attempted a comeback in the final period of the game, the Titans secured a four-point victory.

Peter Obleng (19 points), Tembo Kasereka (16 points), and Joel Lokoji (13 points) led the scoring for the KIU Titans, while Innocent Ochera (25 points), Jimmy Williams (21 points), and Joseph Chuma (11 points) scored double digits for the Blazers.

The Blazers outrebounded the Titans by 17 but struggled from beyond the arc, making only six shots out of 31 attempts.

The two teams will face off in game three on Tuesday, August 20, at the same venue.

NBL Playoffs | Results

Thursday, August 15

• UCU Lady Canons 73-44 KIU Rangers (1-0)
• KIU Rangers 61-79 Namuwongo Blazers (0-1)

UCU Lady Canons secured a well-deserved 73-44 victory against KIU Rangers in game one of the ongoing Semifinal series at Lugogo Indoor Arena.

The Canons took a 1-0 lead in the series, and they are two wins away from a spot in the final.

Aziida Nabayunga concluded the first stanza with a three-point jump shot as the Lady Canons opened a lead of nine points (24-15).

The Lady Canons kept ascending as they widened the lead to 12 points (40-28) at the end of the second quarter.

Coming from the locker rooms, Lady Canons kept the foot on the gas pedal as they extended the lead to 18 points (53-35) at the end of the third period.

Nabayunga put the icing on the cake with a three-point jump shot to claim a 29-point victory on the day.

Nabayunga was instrumental in the game, registering a double-double of 20 points and 18 points while Shakira Nanvubya contributed 17 points.

On the other hand, only Ines Kanyamuneza (15 points) managed double digits for the KIU Rangers.