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Since joining JKL Lady Dolphins in 2017 out of High School, Hope Akello has dominated the stripe in the Women’s National Basketball League.

Akello, who has now become a household name in women’s basketball, took just a couple of seasons in the top-flight division to ascend to the top of the pyramid.

Born to Moses Angura and Ruth Mirembe in the Eastern district of Tororo, Akello picked interest in basketball a decade ago while at Trinity College Nabbingo.

She later moved to St. Mary’s High School Kitende where her basketball sprouted as the institution put together a team that swept whatever came their way along the years. The likes of Brenda Ekone, Brenda Nakitende, Evelyn Nakiyingi, Hope Gimono, Jamila Nansikombi, Leticia Awori, Maureen Nankumbi, Priscilla Abbey, Rose Basemera, and Vicky Akello all of who have since played in the National Basketball League were part of the team over the years.

Akello had a feel of league basketball while still in high school as she featured for Gladiators but it was moving to JKL that gave a feel of “grown woman” basketball. At the time, JKL had former league MVP Purity Adhiambo and Salam Akiny all of whom were her direct competitors in the front court.

In their first year in the National Basketball League finished third, a feat that Akello was part of. The departure of Adhiambo meant Akello would take on a bigger role that she embraced, leading the side to a national championship along with Ritah Imanishimwe and Jamila Nansikombi.

In 2019, Akello made the league her own as she found no match in the paint leading the team to a second straight title while eaarning MVP and top rebounder honours.

The star forward was part of the Dolphins side that won the FIBA Zone V Club Championship in Dar es Salaam in October 2019 where they dispatched Kenyan giants Equity and KPA in sems and final respectively.

She has represented the national side (Gazelles) in the mainstream as well as in the shorter version of the game (3×3).

Quick Profile

Career Highlights

Celebrating Women in Sports

MTN Uganda is Celebrating Women in Sports and we would like you to nominate your outstanding woman in sports and shine a light on their greatness.

Nominate Here.

KCCA Leopards bounced back from the National Basketball League opening day defeat with an 18-point win over Nabisunsa on Wednesday.

The former champions lost to KIU Rangers in the season opener and were looking to make amends against the school side.

The opening quarter ended all square with 15 points apiece but the Leopards (1-1) defended better in the second quarter limiting Nabisunsa to 11 points and opened a 10-point lead by the halftime break.

Experience was at the forefront as KCCA went on to win the next two quarters 11-8 and 20-16 for the win.

Leticia Awor (13 points), Angella Namirimu (12), and Ruth Atuheire (12 points and 11 rebounds) scored in double figures for Leopards.

Linda Aber scored 13 points for Nabisunsa while Priscilla Nambogo had 11 points.

Wednesday Results

Friday Fixtures

Last year, Jane Asinde became the second female basketball player out of Uganda to join and play for a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I school when she joined Wichita State University from Grayson College.

It has been a journey that started barely seven years ago at Budo Secondary School when the forward born to Chrispin Oloka and Janet Athieno in the Eastern district of Tororo was introduced to basketball and quickly soared.

Asinde quickly became the biggest basketball prospect in the country while at Budo and playing for Magic Stormers in the Women’s National Basketball League.

The quick rise in the game saw her earn a spot on Uganda’s team at the 2018 FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup and the following year joined league champions JKL Lady Dolphins.

However, nine games into the 2019 National Basketball League season, Asinde was on the move to the United States to join Grayson College in Dayton, Texas.

She was only the third female basketball player out of Uganda to join a College in the United States. The other two are Sharon Karungi who played at California Baptist University, Northern Oklahoma College and Valparaiso University as well as Claire Lamunu who played at Vanguard University. 

In her first year at Grayson, Asinde was named the Conference Freshman of the Year, while also earning All-Conference and All-Region honors for Grayson. She averaged 13.4 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 53.9 percent from the field.

Asinde’s sophomore season was even better. She posted 18.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game on 52.4 percent shooting. She registered 21 double-doubles and scored 30 or more points three times, including a season-high 38 in the final game of the season.

Asinde was the 18th-rated player in the World Exposure Report Juco rankings. She earned WBCA NCJAA First Team All-American honors after a standout sophomore campaign that got Wichita State University calling.

Jane Asinde elevates to shot over Danielle Sanderlin of SMU

This season, Asinde played 29 games for Wichita State Women’s Basketball Team (Shockers), making 22 starts. She led the Shockers with nine double-doubles and finished the season with 13 games of 10 or more points and 25 games with five or more rebounds. Asinde led the team in rebounding (8.4) and ranked second in steals (47) and blocks (26). She was third on the team in scoring at 8.7 points per game.

With the success she had in her junior season with Shockers, Asinde’s dream of playing in the WNBA is on track.

Other Women in Basketball soaring

Women’s basketball in Uganda has been growing rapidly and this can be seen through the number of women playing at a high level.

Melisa Akullu had a great sophomore season with Vanguard University in NAIA averaging 18.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game just as Jamila Nansikombi at Moberly Area Community College in NJCAA.

JKL Lady Dolphins forward and National Basketball League MVP Hope Akello is showing no signs of slowing down as she continues to dominate locally as is her teammate Flavia Oketcho, the longest-serving active player.

Youngster Maria Najjuma, who is the biggest prospect in the country at the moment, joined the NBA Africa Academy earlier this year.

Celebrating Women in Sports

MTN Uganda is Celebrating Women in Sports and we would like you to nominate your outstanding woman in sports and shine a light on their greatness.

Nominate Here.

Namuwongo Blazers and KIU Rangers were victorious on the opening night of the 2022 National Basketball League.

Blazers beat defending champions City Oilers 72-65 while in the women’s division, Rangers soaked foruth quarter pressure to edge KCCA Leopards 69-63.

Nam Blazers are seen as one of the challengers to the throne Oilers have held for the last seven seasons played to conclusion and they played the season opener like challengers.

Oilers won the opening quarter 17-11 and the subsequent period 17-16 for a 34-27 lead at halftime.

Nam Blazers edged the third quarter 18-17 and took the all decisive fourth quarter 26-11 to win the game.

Congolese power forward Amisi Saidi led the way for Nam Blazers with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Richard Ongom and Joseph Ikong scored 15 and 14 points respectively.

For City Oilers, it was Ruai Ruak with team high 13 poinyts and 11 rebounds. Ivan Muhwezi and Ben Komakech contrbuted 11 and 10 points repectively off the bench.

Angela Namirimu

In the women’s game, Leane Nalunkuma’s 16 points were not enough as former champions KCCA Leopards suffered defeat on the opening day. Sylvia Nakazibwe score 12 points.

For KIU Rangers, it was Ines Kanyamunza (15 points), Rachael Adhiambo (17 points) who scored in double figures.

All is set for the 2022 National Basketball League following the launch of the season on Wednesday at Hotel Africana.

The top-flight season was last played to completion in 2019 and the excitement is visible with the return of the league.

“On behalf of the Federation, we are excited to be back. In 2020, we didn’t have the league due to turbulent times, but we are now back bigger and better. We promise mouthwatering Basketball and we are very happy to have these sponsors on board,” said FUBA Vice President (Administration) Hudson Ssegamwenge at the season launch.

The league’s first-round will tip-off on Friday, 11th March, and will end on May 22. The games are expected to be broadcast on Sanyuka Tv.

Opening Weekend Fixtures

Friday, 11th March (MTN Indoor Arena, Lugogo)

Saturday, 12th March (YMCA, Wandegeya)

Sunday, 13th March (MTN Indoor Arena, Lugogo)

The Uganda women’s national netball team – She-Cranes will face powerhouses New Zealand, England and Malawi among others in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

She-Cranes are in group B that comprises New Zealand, England, Malawi, Trinidad and Tobago plus Northern Ireland.

Uganda alongside Scotland, Wales, Trinidad and Tobago, Northern Ireland, and Barbados were officially invited by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) with all six teams accepting the invitation.

Uganda with the other five qualified for the event based on their World Netball world ranking as of 31 January 2022.

The announced teams then joined Australia, New Zealand, England, Jamaica, South Africa and Malawi, who were revealed as the first six qualifiers in October 2021.

This will be Uganda’s second appearance after making a show at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, where the team finished third.

The side then lost to New Zealand and England by fine margins in the pool stage, completing the tournament in sixth place, after losing the fifth-place playoff match to South Africa by 11 goals.

https://twitter.com/birminghamcg22/status/1499686134900838404

The UCU Open Basketball Championship will take center stage over the weekend at the University’s main campus in Mukono.

It will be the eleventh edition of the pre-season tournament, played a week to the start of the National Basketball League.

At least twenty-two (22) teams have confirmed participation in the two-day tournament.

The top three teams in the men’s division that are widely regarded as title challengers will give fans a glimpse of what to expect when the national league starts next weekend.

Men’s Teams

Women’s Teams

French player Arnaud Merkle took the Uganda International Badminton Open 2022 men’s singles honours on Sunday.

Merkle defeated former European junior champion and India’s Harshit Aggarwal 21-15, 18-21, 21-16 in the final.

“I am so glad that I have come to Uganda for the first time and lifted the trophy. It has been really hard work before this tournament,” Merkle told Xinhua.

The 21-year-old Merkle first upstaged Danylo Bosniuk 18-21, 21-14, 22-20 at the semifinal stage, while Aggarwal ejected Luka Wraber.

In the women’s singles, Swiss player Talia Ng downed Mansi Singh (India) 21-10, 21-12.

In the men’s doubles final, Malaysia’s Boon Xin Yuan and Wong Tien Ci beat the German pair Jones Ralfy Jansen and Jan Colin Volker.

Another Malaysian pair Kasturi Radhakrishnan and Venosha Radhakrisnan claimed the women’s doubles.

Algeria’s Koceila Mammeri and Tanina Violette Mammeri overcame Senthil Vel Govindarasu and Venosha Radhakrishnan 19-21, 21-18, 22-20 in the mixed doubles final.

The Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations has released fixtures for the first round of the 2022 National Basketball League.

Defending champions City Oilers will be in action on the opening day against Namuwongo Blazers in the men’s division in a game that will be preceded by a women’s clash between KCCA Leopards and KIU Rangers.

The league will tip-off on Friday, 11th March and the first round ends on May 22.

The Men’s division will have 13 teams following Warriors’ failure to register while the Women’s Division will have 10 as has been the case in recent seasons.

Meanwhile, Victoria University who acquired Sharing Youth will be debuting in the Men’s as will Tropical Royals while Our Saviour is just returning to the Division.

Miracle Eaglets have been included in the fixture for Women’s Division after taking over UMU Ravens slot.

Opening Weekend Fixture

Friday, 11th March (MTN Arena, Lugogo)

Saturday, 12th March (YMCA, Wandegeya)

Sunday, 13th March (MTN Arena, Lugogo)

The 2022 FIBA National Youth Camp kicked off on Monday, 21st February at the Africa Bible University in Lubowa.

The camp is aimed at equipping youth coaches with skills to identify and nurture talent and also imparting game basics to young players.

Nour Amri, a FIBA Instructor, and Joe Touomou, the NBA Academy Technical Director and Fiba Expert are in charge of the training during the camp that brings together 20 coaches and 30 players.

The camp was launched by Ambrose Tashobya, the President of FIBA Africa Youth Council, and 3×3 Basketball.

“This program is intended to create a good base for youth development in Africa and this year, we are glad to partner with Key Instructors in the growth development of the game who will participate in the implementation of this program.

“We have two Instructors that have come in, one from FIBA and the other from the NBA who will equip the coaches and later on the kids with basic knowledge about the game,” he said at the launch.

Bernerd Ogwel and Ambrose Tashobya

The event was also attended by National Council of Sports General Secretary Bernard Ogwel, FUBA President Nasser Sserunjogi, as well as camp conductors in  Nour Amri and Joe Touomou.

“As a country, we have a program to develop players at the age of U14 through our Technical Directorate. We work with them for two years and prepare them for the U16 [Tournaments] at Zone V and AfroBasket.

“We realized that they reach this level (Zone V and AfroBasket) when not well prepared so we need to have such Youth Camps to develop them when they are still young. We believe that such programs will go a long way to prepare us to achieve,” said Sserunjogi.

At the end of the camp, the best 15 players will be selected for the Regional Camp and will be joined by the best performing coaches.