NVL Playoffs: Uphill Task Await Defending Champions OBB

April 1, 2023
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Game Ones:

Saturday, April 1
Ladies: Sport-S Vs OBB, 5pm
Men: Sport-S Vs OBB, 7pm

Sunday, April 2
Ladies: Ndejje Vs KCCA, 5pm
Men: KAVC Vs UCU, 7pm

Orange Block Buster (OBB) face a huge mountain to climb in their pursue to defend the National Volleyball League title as the playoffs get underway this Saturday at Old Kampala Arena.

OBB who beat Nemostars to win their maiden title last season on first attempt, face off with Sport-S in the best of three semifinals.

Sport-S are the team to beat having finished as the number one seeding in an 18-game regular season they dropped just a single game against UCU Doves.

OBB on the other hand, won 12 and lost six and they face a Sport-S side desperate for revenge having lost to OBB at this very stage last season.

The National Volleyball League playoffs get underway today at Old Kampala.

No six-time champions Nemostars who finished fifth in regular season. Defending champions OBB have an uphill task against number one seeding Sport-S in one of the semis.

Who takes the crown? pic.twitter.com/YZTGZ5Mgwo
— Brian Kawalya 🇺🇬 (@BrianKawalya1) April 1, 2023

“This season we had a lot of challenges including injuries to our key players but am glad that we have made it here in the playoffs,” said a calm OBB coach Johnson Kawenyera.

It’s strong to note that Kawenyera replaced Luke Eittit midway this season, as the Iganga-based side had earlier parted ways with Lawrence Yakan who won the team a league title last season.

In dramatic turn of events, an earlier schedule had pitted OBB against KAVC after Uganda Volleyball Federation Competitions Committee had made an error in the final rankings of the regular season, before a late communication.

“We are ready for everyone, my players are in good shape and hungry and all those who were injured are back,” Kawenyera stated.

“We would like to win the two games, we do not want the pressure of playing a decisive game.”

In the other semifinal, whose Game one will be played on Sunday, KAVC will go head to head with UCU.

UCU made the playoffs on the back of a poor last season where they survived relegation.

KAVC – the oldest club in the region – on the other hand, won 13 and lost 5 in the regular season to finish second and return to the playoffs after a long wait.

Zimbabwean KAVC coach Duke Memory said: “Our first plan is to enjoy the Volleyball on court, our journey has been interesting because when I joined KAVC it was a good opportunity for the team that is hungry and had spent a while without playing in the playoffs, so it’s always a pleasure to coach athletes who are so hungry and willing to learn.

“These players are still hungry to play, we are an old club but none done and dusty.

“Volleyball is a team Sport, we are not relying on any individual and we want to play as a team. Our chances are high to reach the final because we have prepared well. We have worked for it and we want it.”

Past Winners of the National Volleyball League:

2022:
Men: OBB
Women: Ndejje

2021
COVID

2020:
COVID

2019
Men: Nemo
Women: Nkumba

2018
Men: Nemo
Women: Nkumba

2017
Men: Nemo
Women: Nkumba

2016
Men: ….
Women: Ndejje

2015
Men: KAVC
Women: VVC

2014
Men: Nemo
Women: VVC

2013
Men: Nemo
Women: Ndejje

2012
Men: Nemo
Women: Ndejje