Wednesday, September 13 (YMCA)
*UCU Lady Canons Vs Nkumba Lady Marines
*UCU Canons Vs KCCA Panthers
UCU Canons must beat KCCA Panthers to survive relegation in the last game of the regular season on Wednesday!
The Canons find themselves in an unfamiliar territory having been a league title contender for over the last six seasons.
They have reached the final twice in 2015 and 2019, both against City Oilers who have needed game seven on both occasions to snatch the title.
After they were beaten in last year’s semifinals, UCU Canons lost a couple of their key players including Fayed Bbaale and Titus Lual who crossed to rivals City Oilers.
And it has been a tough campaign for the side coached by Nicholas Natuhereza.
They got their season underway with a 64-55 loss against Ndejje Angels, and that defeat was an early warning of what was yet to come.
Fast forward, UCU Canons have nine wins in 21 games, leaving the side seated second from the bottom – just above already relegated Rezlife Saints.
It’s strong to note that only two teams are relegated from the National Basketball Relegation to FUBA Division One.
They are on 28 points, one below UPDF Tomahawks. A loss will earn them a point, which will send them level on 29 with UPDF who have a better head to head having beaten them twice in the regular season.
A win will see the side leapfrog UPDF, hence relegate the Army-side.
KCCA Panthers who are on 29 points, with just eight wins, need a win to seal a place in this year’s playoffs which are expected to tip-off next week.
It’s a tough scenario for the Mukono-based side who have one win to show in their previous five games.
But their biggest undoing was that walkover loss against Power in the second round, a game that wasn’t played due to colour clash of their jerseys.
And with UCU faulted, they also lost automatically the game against Power in the first round as the rules state.
Coach Natuhereza will need the best from his players, starting with a likely starting five of Jimmy Otim, Jerry Kayanga, Lwabaga Ibanda, Rogers Baptist Dauna and Peter Sifuma.
The Canons, who come into this game on the back of a 71-79 defeat against City Oilers, beat KCCA Panthers 90-80 in the First Round.
