Basketball in Africa

DEFENDING champions Nkumba-Marines will be desperate to rediscover their form in the Makerere Open basketball tournament that starts today at the pool court and main ground.

Marines endured a mediocre performance during the Hoops-of-Hope tournament two weeks ago, and the Makerere Open offers the Entebbe-based team a chance to stamp their authority on the local game.

Paul Mwaka should replace Donald Blick who is AWOL as he takes over the lynchpin role in the team’s attacking options.

Apart from local challenges, Marines should embrace competition from United States International University (USIU) of Kenya and Butare University from Rwanda that were due today morning.

“One of our targets is to give teams a chance to gauge their readiness for the national league,” said tournament organiser Jalia Nassali.

The tournament that has attracted 17 teams will act as a yardstick for this year’s MTN basketball league that starts next weekend.