Friday, August 16
*Ndejje Angels Vs Sharing Youth – 6:30PM
*Warriors Vs UCU Canons – 8:30PM
(YMCA court, Wandegeya)
The National Basketball League returns on Friday with two interesting ties at YMCA Court in Wandegeya, Kampala.
UCU Canons and Warriors will go head to head in a game that will hugely determine who will finish on top of the log after the regular season.
The Canons won the reverse tight fixture 62-60 in the first round on May 25, and according to Warriors coach Ronnie Mutebi, his side will be targeting revenge.
“Tomorrow’s (Friday) game will help us maintain the low number of losses,” said coach Ronnie. “We lost to UCU cannons in the first round so we have a score to settle. We also have just lost terribly to city oilers so we really want to come out of this pit we have put ourselves into.”
“UCU has proved to also be a title contender so we want to dominate them for us to gauge our preparedness. We have been hit by many injuries on top of the suspension of Carmelo so the odds are tight on our side but we will go through strong.
“It’s a chance for the warriors to prove to the doubters especially ourselves that this year is ours.”
Warriors have played 17 games, won 14 and lost 3. The Canons on the other hand, have played 20, won 17 and lost 3.
To beat Nicholas Natuhereza’s charges, the Kyambogo based side will hope for the best from their key players Chris Omanye, Michael Ntumba Buzangu, Michael Opio, Samad Imran, Jonathan Kambala and Stanley Mugerwa.
It is not yet known whether David ‘Dikong’ Deng will be in good conditions to play on Friday after that injury scare against Oilers on Wednesday but with Titus Lual, Fayed Baale, Fadhil Chuma, Isaiah Mabeny Ateer and Joas Maheta, UCU still has enough memory.
Tight Race At The Top
The top Five:
- Betway Power (16-6)
- UCU Canons (17-3)
- City Oilers (16-3)
- JKL Dolphins (14-4)
- Warriors (14-3)
Three teams – UCU Canons, Warriors and City Oilers – are the front runners for the top spot as they have lost just three games each.
By the end of Friday night, one team will all but be out of this interesting calculation! Whoever will be at the receiving end, remains to be a mystery, but one thing everyone is assured of, is Friday’s encounter will be pulsating and thrilling.
UCU Canons’ task to finish top of the log will be to win all their two remaining games – Warriors and Kampala University – to guarantee their top spot. They will have edged Oilers by just a better point difference in the head to head between the two teams.
Warriors on the hand, will have to win their four remaining games – UCU, JKL, KCCA and Falcons – but hope that Oilers can slip somewhere, to top the log. Warriors beat Oilers (68-66) in the first round but the latter paid back in the second round with a better scoreline (83-59).
