Basketball in Africa

THE coaches will have to make some significant defensive and offensive adjustments this coming Saturday when big guns Premium Cobras and PLS Hawks meet in their Men division 1A first round match-up.

With both teams having already lost a match apiece, they warmed up for the forthcoming mouth-watering encounter with wins on Saturday at Victoria Gymnasium, putting them in good heart ahead of the eagerly awaited fixture.

PLS Hawks 73 ... Angels 69

Defending champions PLS Hawks made their experience count down the stretch, rallying from an 11-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to win 73-69 against Angels.

Coach Tony Juliette’s PLS Hawks looked like going down a second time in two weeks as Angels built a healthy 15-point lead when Garry Duprès made five out of six free-throws with 4 minutes 24 seconds played in the third quarter and Darren Lesperance connected from behind the 3-point arc seconds later.

Not only did they play under a lot of pressure, PLS Hawks also lost playmaker and reigning basketballer of the year Thomas Collie in an incident which led to Duprès going to the foul line.
After being called with a blocking foul when he thought his opponent should have been punished for a charge, Collie screamed at umpire Allan Uzice who hit with a technical foul. Having already committed his fifth foul, Collie was disqualified by the official apparently for dissent. In the process, PLS Hawks’ bench was also hit with a technical foul.

When most of the spectators present thought that PLS Hawks would run out of ideas and suffer another embarrassing defeat, they perhaps forgot that coach Juliette’s team play with a lot of guts when they are trailing. They went on an 11-0 run to equalise at 63-63 on a stand-in playmaker Romeo Victor drive with 4:48 played.

On a Duprès three-point play – their first points of the fourth quarter with 5:07 played, Angels regained the lead at 66-63, but again PLS Hawks tied the match at 69-69 through veteran power forward Jim Domingue before the team added another four points to their tally.

Restricting Angels to just six points in the final 10 minutes was the turnaround for PLS Hawks who got 27 points from Domingue and had Barry Baron, Nigel Annette and Luciano Moumou scoring 13 apiece.

The win was leaders’ PLS Hawks’ fifth in six games for 11 points, while Angels, under coach James Joubert, have eight points after two wins and four defeats.

Skipper Steven Servina had the hot hands with 20 points for Angels who lost key players Duprès (17 points) and Norcy Agathine (8 points) with five personal fouls each during a three-second interval in the final quarter.


Premium Cobras 76 ... RC Dynamics 58

In the absence of Lenny Aglaé and James Beier, Dominic Pillay had more playing time and he delivered, teaming up with Nigerian Reuben Kolawole in the front court for a combined 33 points.

In fact, Pillay finished as the game’s joint-topscorer with 18 points, the same total as RC Dynamics’ Kenneth Domingue.

Premium Cobras won the first, third and fourth quarters 21-12, 17-12 and 26-22 on the way to their third win in four games, while RC Dynamics, who had stopped a three-game losing streak with a 61-48 win over MBU Rockers, are now winless in their last two games. They have seven points after six matches.


SMB Razorback 60 ... Cascade Bullets 51

Although skipper Jean-Paul Camille left the game with a nose injury mid-way through the fourth quarter after having taken an inadvertent elbow from a teammate, SMB Razorback were able to hold on for a big win over Cascade Bullets.

After winning the first quarter 17-7, SMB Razorback saw their lead evaporate in thin air as the Bullets, who had beaten MBU Rockers 69-58 in their last match which saw five players expelled following a brawl, came back strongly to equalise at 26-26 at half-time.

But SMB Razorback, who delivered a shocker with an 80-66 win over PLS Hawks a fortnight ago, were able to win the other two quarters 16-11 and 18-14 for their fourth victory in six games.

As for the Bullets, coach Grégoire Scholastique will have to go back to the drawing board to plot their next move, hoping it will result in their third win.

Camille finished as his team’s best scorer with 18 points, while Malagasy Alberto ‘Didys’ Edwards was the only other SMB Razorback player in double figures with 10 points.

Cascade Bullet’s giant centre Ronny Julienne top-scored in the match with 22 points and playmaker Kenneth Sophie added 15.

Meanwhile, in a women’s match played last Friday at Victoria Gymnasium, Lindy Aglaé got a season-high 26 points as third-placed Bel Air beat Juniors 79-31.

Jennifer Bonne finished with 18 points for Juniors who are a place from bottom with five points in the seven-team league.

G. G.

By Julius Mbaraga

First place in the 2006 national basketball league is up for grabs today when Basketball United Generation takes on top guns ESPOIR at Lycee de Kigali at 3:00pm.

Both clubs (ESPOIR and BUG) are in second place with seven points each following last weekend’s victories over AGF and KIE respectively. BUG is desperate to win this encounter to try and loosen up the pressure being exerted from both ESPOIR and defending champions APR, both have seven points, one point behind table leaders Marine.
At Kacyiru, AGF entertain defending champions APR while UNR host ISAE in the ladies’ category.
In tomorrow’s fixture, the Marine side travels to Butare to face UNR while KIE host table leaders APR in the ladies’ category.

By ALOYSIUS BYAMUKAMA
WANDEGEYA

MTN basketball league title hopefuls Sadolin Power failed to keep to their 34-30 first half lead and succumbed to a 73-65 defeat to Kyambogo Warriors in a league game played on Sunday.

Warriors, who last season reached play offs for the first time, remained tenacious and dominated the last two quarters 16-11 and 26-20 to seal the win. Steven Okias and Brian Gumisiriza made 22 and 21 points while Ken Balyejusa made 15 points.

The day was well with only league games in the capital Nairobi and four matches were on the card.The first game saw Lomboritz get there first win of the season beating Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology(JKUAT) Stray Cats 60-58 while leading at halftime 27-29.It was Antony Onyanyo 14pts and Samuel Kyalo 13pts that inspired the win for Lomboritz a self sponsored team while Rogers Kimutai and Alex Olaba gave 19pts a piece for the losers.In the second game of the day Strathmore University crashed Don Bosco 88-83 leading at the break 39-36.Don Bosco only managed to win the third qaurter 25-22 while lost the rest 10-12,26-27 and 22-38 with Ramadhani Almas(new signing from St.Austins Acamedy) pouring game high 28pts and teamate Paul Nyakinda 22pts while Kenneth Githinji and Edward Ratemo gve 20pts each.
In the only womens encounter Yana was the second team in the womens category to reach the century mark scores by beating Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology(JKUAT) 101-30 with Judith Akoth "Lulu" giving 19pts for the winners.
tIn the last game University of Nairobi Terrorist was hammered by fellow students Kenyatta University (K.U.Pirates) 64-57 with Pirates leading at the break 29-23.Terror only won the 1st and 3rd periods 16-14 and 19-13 and lost the 2nd and 4th periods 07-15 and 22-15.In the thrid quarter it was Rodney Genga of Terror who tied the scores at 42-42 after been fouled but missed the free throw to take the lead.In the last quarter with four minutes played Pirates too the lead to 10pts but Freddrick Magana and Roddney Genga reduced it to 3pts difference and till the two main players of Terror were fouled out thats when Pirates took charge and the game at will.The efforts of Rodney Genga 14pts and Freddrick Magana 13pts didn't help Terror to seal the win with which they have lost all there four games of the season with Pirates celebrating their first win with help of Griffins Ligare 19pts and Martin Obure 14pts which made coach Gitau Waringo a happy man of the day.


By Juma Kent
Kenya.

Yana crossed the century mark when they humiliated Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology 101-37 in a one-sided women's basketball Premier League tie at Nairobi's Nyayo Stadium yesterday.

In other matches, Strathmore University registered an 88-83 win over Don Bosco while Lomboritz fought from behind to beat JKUAT 60-58 in a men's Division One league encounter.

Yana who registered the highest score in the women's competition in Nairobi this season, had Judith Akoth and Carol Achieng shooting 100 per cent to lead 13-6 in the first quarter.

JKUAT failed to show any determination as Achieng and Linda Anyango continued to punish them heavily as Yana went up again 24-12 in the second quarter. It remained a one-sided show with Yana leading 37-18 at half-time.

In the men's Division One league category, Ramadhan Almas scored 26 points while Paul Nyakinda added 22 as Strathmore University defeated the unlucky Don Bosco 88-83. Strathmore raced to a narrow 39-36 half-time lead before Don Bosco worked hard to go up 25-22 in the third quarter.

Strathmore used the last quarter as their secret weapon demolishing their opponents 38-22. Edward Ratemo shot 20 and Horrace Odhiambo replied with 24 for Don Bosco.

Lomboritz battled from behind to beat hard-fighting JKUAT 60-58 after trailing 29-27 at half-time. Anthony Onyango scored 16 points and Samuel Kyalo had 13 for Lomboritz. Rogers Kimtai and Alex Olaba each replied with 19 points for the losers.

On Saturday, Ulinzi Warriors maintained their unbeaten run when they registered an 85-80 win over Co-operative Bank of Kenya at Nyayo.

In others matches, Sprite Storms pipped Telkom 48-47 while Telkom men's team registered a 72-67 victory over the Juja-based Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

In Mombasa, Coast Youth Centre shocked the United States International University 68-66 to register their first win in an ill-tempered match at the KPA Gymnasium.

USIU also lost to KPA in the women's action with the hosts winning 103-39.

The CYC vs USIU clash, which the self sponsored coastals dominated from the start, saw Dennis Miruka of USIU and Sammy Chone of CYC, disqualified for brawling.

CYC who must thank US bound Kennedy Okello for the win took a commanding 17-09 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Okello who had an outstanding game scored a game high 26 points including the last basket on the stroke of time when the teams were deadlocked 66-66.

Hundreds of fans and supporters of Invincible Eleven basketball Club took to the street of Monrovia the capital of Liberia celebrating last evening after their team dumped NPA Pythons 74-69 points to lift the Liberia basketball Federation 2006 national championship.
The match was their last in their best out of five championship series. This means Invincible Eleven and NPA Pythons will represent Liberia at the Federation Of International Basketball Association(FIBA) African Club Championship slated for late this year in neighboring Ivory Coast

By ALOYSIUS BYAMUKAMA
KAMPALA

Results
Men
Marines 82 Rhino 79
Miracle 55 Livingstone 37
Kabojja SS 53 Berkeley 50
Women
Challenge 88 Comets 7

MTN Basketball League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Norman Blick scored 27 points to inspire Marines to a 82-79 win over Charging Rhinos in an entertaining game played on Saturday at Wandegeya. The small forward who since December 2005 has been out at Al-Rayyan in Qatar chasing greener pastures, came off the bench to lead the defending champions to a 41-30 half time score with three slum dunks.

"I am happy with the improvement the players have made and Salim (Ali) is an inspiration," Blick commented. Salim (12) and Carol Bisereko (11) scored for Marines while Olika and Mande Juruni made 18 and 11 for Rhino.
A-1 Chellenge whipped Kyambogo Comets 88-7.

By ALOYSIUS BYAMUKAMA

KAMPALA

Today
Women
Amazon vs KIU
A-I Challenge vs Nabisunsa
KCC vs Crane High
Men
Gulu vs Falcons
Warriors vs Power
Division II
Crane vs Berkeley SS
FPAU vs Kabojja SS
Flippers vs Lubiri High


MTN women's league table leaders Kampala City Council (KCC) Leopards return to the YMCA courts this afternoon against stubborn Crane High.

After finishing runners up in the inter cities tourney last Sunday, the mayor's ladies will be aiming at extending their unbeaten run on the local scene to four games.

"We are aiming at keeping a clean record and challenge all the way this season," coach Mande Juruni said.
The side has been boosted with the acquisition of shooting guard Linda Tamale from former champions Lady Bucks and she will be making her debut.

Crane High will miss the services of Laisah Kantungeko and Florence Kalume out for holiday in Burundi. Defending champions A-I Challenge take on Nabisunsa while Kampala International University (KIU) Rangers face Amazon.

In the men's games, Falcons are in Gulu to face hosts Hawks in a game to entertain the local fans at the Caribbean Courts.

27th May 2006.
In Mombasa City United States International University(USIU) both men and women lost the league games against Coast Youth Comined(CYC) team and defending champions Kenya Ports Authority(KPA) respectively.KPA beat USIU Flames 103-39 and being the first women teamto raech a century mark scores r in the year,while the CYC beat USIU Tigers 68-66 to which the Tigers protested after the match saying the CYC players were allowed to play without licence cards and poor officiating.

In Nairobi Telkom men crushed Jomo Kenyatta University of Agricuture and Technology(JKUAT) 72(34) - 67(39) with Solomon Ochieng pouring 20pts and teamate Godfrey Abuya giving 14pts while JKUAT's Alex Olaba 19pts to Collins Kiprono 10pts in the lower Division 1 while Sprite Storms won by a whisk 1point to beat Telkom women 48-47.At the break Telkom were leading 33-32.Hilda Luvandwa gave 17pts while Angela Luchivya 13pts of Storms while Joyce Makungu 15pts and Caroline Achieng 08pts.It was Rebecca Serange who made the last basket of Telkom to close the game 48-47 with 2secs to go.
In the main game of the day mens premier league Ulinzi maintained there unbaeten run when the whipped Co-operative Bank of Kenya(Co-op) 85 - 80.Its was Ansett Wafula's 22pts and Victor Odendo 21pts that made Ulinzi beat Co-op again just after the East Central Africa Club Championships held in Nairobi a month ago.Co-op were saved by Collins Macharia 18pts and John Waruru 17pts.
At the break Co-op were leading 43-38 while they only beat Ulinzi in the first quarter 25-19 while were losing the 2nd quarter 18-19,3rd17-20 and last quarter 17-20.Co-op lead throughout till the third quarter with 4mins and 25secs to go Ulinzi took the lead 48-47.In the last quarter Co-op tied the game with 3mins played at 56-56 and Ulinzi went ahead with Richard Osano's 3pointer and never trailed again even took a 10pts lead with2mis 47secs to go.Wycliff Ocheing of Co-op attempted a 3point shot and was fouled on the buzzer by Victor Odendo which the scores were 77-85 with Ochieng scoring all the 3 free throw ending the game with 5pts difference.With the return of the star point guard Simon Mugambi who had gone for a peace keep mission with the UN in Sierra Leone made life easier for Ulinzi.

Juma Kent
Nairobi-Kenya.

The fortune of basketball basketball club of Lagos in the ongoing Nigeria premier league slips further down the ladder last night when it lost it fifth game of the season to Dodan Worriors basketball club 70-64 in a match it looked good in the first two quarters to win.

The coach Toyin Sonoiki tutored former league champion was the better of the two side in the early part of the game cutting the fast pace Warriors to size but soon cave in the last minutes of the third quarter thus allowing the Owoicho Alexander coached Warriors to take the lead and refused to look back until the final whistle of Fiba graded referee Babatunde Popoola who took control of the game
with ocassional caution of the Warriors bench assisted by Tony Emuwen.

With Friday lose of 12-09, 17-16, 21-23 and 14-22 for a cummulative scores of 70-64 points Islanders though will make the final-4 playoffs but its hope might be dashed if the league advissory committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF decide to make it a one off final-6 due to time limitation.

The inability of the Islanders players to find the basket from the line was one of the greatest sin commited by the Joshua Agbona captain side with youthful forward Azeez Oladimedi being the worst culprit with six straight points misses from the freethrow line in the early part of the game which would have counted for his side while Warriors points guard pint-size Seyi Ahmed being the most
outstanding player on the Warriors line-up sinking the Islanders with three points shot after shot.

The race for the championship of the Liberia Basketball Federation will come to an end on May 28 when Invincile Eleven and NPA Pythons battle in their last best out of five Playoff final. Invincible Eleven yesterday pinned NPA Pythons 95-94 points in a breath taking encounter. this means both team have won two game.and the final will be decided tomorrow

By Pius Ayinor
Lagos

The Vmobile Basketball league gets quite hot this afternoon in Lagos and Bauchi as teams line up for more points ahead of the play off-season. Yelwa Hawks are at home to AHIP Giants in Bauchi but the star attraction is actually at the National Stadium in Lagos where the Lagos Islanders will play as hosts to Dodan Warriors.

This game is more of pride than securing the needed points to guarantee a play off spot. The Islanders who are former league champions had beaten the Warriors on the road to such trophies and one particular day, by 30 points, until this season when the Warriors got more than battle ready and beat Islanders like kids. The fixture offers Islanders the chance the opportunity to revenge and reclaim their old glory. And for the Warriors it is even another chance to stamp their authority and make it very clear that what the first time was no fluke.

Given the statistics both teams have put on this system this season, the game will most likely go the way of the Warriors. A win for Islanders today will come as a surprise and that may revolve around Dodan Warriors becoming over confident.In Bauchi the coaster is clear for Yelwa Hawks to perch and drill the AHIP Giants properly. By all measurements, Yelwa boys are better placed to win this game boldly as they line against a Yelwa team that are yet to win a game.

The AHIP boys were at home to Bauchi Nets three days ago in Kano and fell by 56-54. It was about the closest they got to win a game this season and with the loss they hold an unenviable record as the only team yet to win a match in both Conferences.

Tomorrow in Lagos the battle will also be on the high scale as the Customs, another struggling side, seek to regain their battered image against Union Bank. But unlike AHIP, the Customs still have some magic that can turn the table in their favour against any team in the league. Sunday is match-free in Lagos as Comets travel to Asaba,

Week eight pairing of the Nigeria flagship championship, the Vmobile premier basketball league promises to be interesting in so many as teams fight the battle of their lives to be counted among those that will make the playoffs from each conference.

In the Savannah conference while Plateau Peaks basketball club will be playing to consolidate its position in the conference as one of the team likely to make the Kaduna cut the same cannot be said of its week eight opponent and city rival Tapgun Rockets basketball club.

The Jos based teams will thrill their respective fans on Saturday at the sports hall of the Jos Township stadium with one thing at back of the mind of its players, to pick the two points at stake with Peaks highly favoured to carry the day.

And on Friday Yelwa Hawks basketball club of Bauchi who has had a fair season so far will add to the woes of AHIP Giants now rechriten "AHIP Boys" basketball club of Kano when both sides clash at the sports hall of the Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi.

In Kano old war horse Pillars basketball club will be at home to another strong contender to the Savannah conference title, Niger Potters absketball club of Minna in what appear to be the Star-Match of the Savannah confernce.

Both sides parade some of the best hands in the conference and are capable of doing damage to any team who is a little complacent with Nigeria international guard, Abubakar Usman leading the Potters against the Pillars.

In the Atlantic conference Islanders basketball club of Lagos will be seeking a lifeline against rampaging Dodan warriors basketball club also of Lagos Friday at the sports hall of the Lagos National Stadium.

With a record of three win and four loses the coach oyin Sonoiki tutored former Nigeria champion, they know that any further lose might put them in a difficult position for the conference final-4 playoffs.

And on saturday at the same venue, conference leader Union Bank basketball club will be taking on hapless Customs basketball club with a bid to consolidate its hold on the conference top spot having won six of its seven matches played so far while the border boys have only managed just a win.

On Sunday it will be the turn of the last winner of the premier league before the coming of Vmobile Nigeria, Ebun Comets basketball club of Lagos to visit Asaba for a date with dreaded Delta Force basketball club.

Comets who have already book a place in the Atlantic conference playoff seems more relaxed about this encounter against a team coached by one of their Lateef Erinfolami who for many years was the captain and playmaker of the Comets.

As the race began for the final for the 15th Under 18 (male) Fiba Africa championship billed for South African city of Durban from July 29 through August 6
get keener three countries have joined defending champion Nigeria and South Africa for the biggest youth competition in the slamming and dunking world.

The countries Libya, Guinea and Kenya book their passage to the continental championship without going through the rigour of qualification due to the withdrawal of their zonal opponents.

Libya who was billed to fight for Zone-1 sole ticket against Morocco got the permission to be in the final after Morocco withdrew from the qualifiers, Guinea got the zone-2 ticket on a plater of gold when the rest of the teams in the zone withdrew their participation while Kenya book its ticket from zone-5 for the finals.

2004 runner-up Angola alongside third placed Mali and fourth placed Algeria are the other countries that are already through to the finals.

The winner and runner-up of this year's edition will fly the continent flag at the Fiba World Championship next year.

For secondary schools all over Nigeria, the season for exciting basketball action as the 2007 Nestle Milo Secondary School Championship conference playoffs get underway in Kano from June 1.

The championship which has for over seven years been one of the biggest platforms for the discovery of young and promising basketball talents among high school students in Nigeria began this year in March with the intra-state preliminaries.

According to beverage giant manufacturer’s Group Brand Manager Banji Okubote, this year’s competition promises to be more exciting given the determination to excel exhibited by the participating schools during the state play-off stages.



He confirmed that the Savanna conference final is to hold at the sports hall of the Kano Township Stadium otherwise known as the Sani Abacha Stadium from June 1 to 5 in the boys and girls category with champions of Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto and hosts Kano State battleing for the conference sole ticket to the grand finale billed for later in the year.

The Sahara conference final scheduled to hold at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi will hold from June 6 to 10 with winners from Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Taraba, Gombe and Adamawa States fighting for honours.

At the Central conference finals due to hold in Abuja from June 11 through 15, seven states are expected to feature. They include Plateau, Nassarawa, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger State and the FCT
(Abuja).

The Sports Council in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State will come alive when states champion from Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Abia, and host Bayelsa state take to the court for who goes through to the finals from June 16 to 20 in the Central conference.

Atlantic conference finals scheduled for the sports hall of the Asaba Township Stadium between June 21 and 25 will feature leading teams from Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and the fiercely competitive Edo and Delta State teams.

The last of the conference finals will be that of the Western conference holding in Ile-Ife, Osun State from June 26 and July 2 will feature champions from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo State.

The six (male) conference Most Valuable Players (MVPs) will be sponsored to the 2nd Milo/NBA Top 50 Camp to further expose them to the rudiment of the game.

By Paul Munyuki

THE Basketball Union of Zimbabwe executive have failed to secure sponsorship for the National League that started at the weekend and up to now the clubs do not even know what they are playing for.

Last year the National League was sponsored by Delta through their Sprite brand but nothing has been communicated to the basketball mother body. A BUZ official confirmed that they do not have a sponsor for the most prestigious basketball tournament in Zimbabwe. "Schools are better off, they have a sponsor in almost every sporting discipline but the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe have not communicated to the clubs on their position. "At the moment the clubs do not even know what they are playing for and this leaves a lot of doubt in the clubs and they don’t know if they will get their travel expenses. "BUZ should just communicate to the clubs so that they know where they are standing," said the official. Cameo started their championship defence in style when both their men and women’s sides proceeded to the quarter-finals. Giants were the only men’s team from Bulawayo that made it for the quarter-finals as the other seven teams — Cameo, Jewels, Kingdom Cavaliers, Celtics, Pross, Mufakose Hawks and Varsity Leopards — are from Harare. Cameo men dismissed Kingdom Cavaliers (48-39), walloped Highlanders (85-10) and Classics (63-34) to book their place in the quarter-finals. The women’s side also qualified for the same stage after they beat UZ Stars 59-12 at Richwood Park in Harare. Quarterfinals Men: Cameo v Pross; Jewels v Mufakose Hawks; Celtics v Kingdom Cavaliers; Giants v Varsity Leopards. Women: Cameo v Midlands State University; Varsity Leopards v Highlanders; Queens v UZ Stars; Giants v Jewels.

The 2006 grand final playoff of the Liberia Basketball Federation kicked off last friday . In game one NPA Pythons whipped Invincible Eleven 76-72 points in a highly contested match. On last Sunday Invincible Eleven came back and beat Pythons 81-75 points. The playoff will continue on tomorrow May 24. The playoff is play on a best out of five basis.

As the Vmobile League runs through the last lap of the regular season the AHIP Giants of Kano are still searching for their first win of the season. Whereas most of the teams are battling to secure tickets to the play off stage, the AHIP boys are battling for their first maximum points.
This afternoon they travel to Bauchi to face the Nets with the sole ambition of picking a win. They play the match coming out of the last weekend of which they played at home. The Giants were beaten 69-66 by Niger Potters of Minna at the Kano Stadium. The win has pushed the Potters well into the play offs season even with two games at hand.
The match playing today in Bauchi has been voted in favour of the Nets by bookmakers as the host team have enjoyed a good run in this regular season. Bauchi Nets were yet to drop a game until they visited Minna a fortnight ago and lost to the Potters.
“So far it has been good for us looking ahead at the play off stage. We do hope to play well into the play off given the volume of work we have carried out so far and I don’t see how we can be stopped now,” Adeka Daudu, the Nets coach told THISDAY.
Given the background of the teams, their players on parade and their current form, it will take more than a miracle for the visitors to achieve a win in Bauchi. On the other hand, the game may as well tie up a ticket for the Nets who missed out of the race to the Abuja play off last year on the last day.
Four teams will qualify for the first leg of the play off from each of the Conferences as against the three when the Vmobile Challenge held last year.

THE Matabeleland South schools basketball league started at the weekend with PG Timber reaffirming their sponsorship for the girl child.

Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, a spokesperson for the league, said schools started playing at the weekend although PG had not yet released the total package.
"We started playing games on Saturday and PG Timber will be sponsoring the girls. They have not yet released the amounts to us as yet. On Saturday games were played at Mzingwane Boys High and this weekend there are no games," he said.
Ndlovu said the boys had no sponsor but their games would still go on as they were to play in the finals on the same day as the girls.
Ndlovu said the finals of the league would be played in Bulawayo on 8 July. Last year Empandeni Under16 and Under20 won the competition while in the Under14 category Minda from Maphisa were the victors.
Minda took the championship from Empandeni for the first time since its inauguration in 2000. He said the Under14s would start their competition on 10 June to cut down on transport costs."It will be difficult for the schools to transport all teams for the competition if they all started at the same time. The Under14s can also play their finals on any other day. They do not have to play them on 8 July with the other categories," said Ndlovu.
Ndlovu said this year competition promises to be tight as both teams Minda and Empandeni in the Under16 category won their first two matches.
Minda are at the top of the log by virtue of getting more baskets than Empandeni. Other schools in that category include Usher, Mtshabezi, Matopo and Thekwane.
Minda won their first match against Thekwane 280 and went on to beat Usher 2715. Empandeni beat Mtshabezi 268 and Thekwane 232.
Results
Under16 Girls
Empandeni 26, Mtshabezi 8; Minda 28, Thekwane 0; Usher 25, Matopo 13; Empandeni 23, Thekwane 2; Minda 27, Usher 15; Mtshabezi 12, Matopo 10.
Under16 Boys
Mzingwane 30, JZ Moyo 9; Wanezi 2, Plumtree 33; Plumtree 25, Cyrene 10; Mtshabezi 12, Mzingwane 9; Matopo 22, JZ Moyo 4; Thekwane 24, Wanezi 8; Cyrene 7, Mtshabezi 8; Thekwane 8, Matopo 16.
Under20 Girls
Empandeni 48, Matopo 5; Wanezi 0, Mtshabezi 13; Empandeni 18, Minda 7; Usher 20, Minda 18; Thekwane 28, JZ Moyo 13; Usher 12, Matopo 9; Thekwane 25, Dombodema 10; Wanezi 4, JZ Moyo 42.
Under20 Boys
Mzingwane 27, Plumtree 22; Dombodema 19, JZ Moyo20; Matopo 28, Cyrene 14; Thekwane 28, Mtshabezi 18; Mzingwane 31, JZ 8; Thekwane 22, Dombodema 10; Wanezi 15 Gwanda 8; Matopo 50, Gwanda 4; Wanezi 18, Cyrene 11; Plumtree 33, Mtshabezi 14.

Kenya won the 8th Inter-Cities Basketball championships with Nairobi City taking the men and the women titles played at Lugogo indoor stadium in Kampala,Uganda on 21st May 2006.
In the women finals Nairobi City beat Kampala City 62 to 57 leading the first two quaters 20-13 and 23-15 but lost the last two quaters 10-16 and 13-09.Nairobi women who were leading 43-28 at half played badly and Kampala who gave aspirited fight in the second half made the game to look like it could go either way.In the semi-finals Nairobi beat Dar es sallam City(Tanzania) 62-43,while Kampala City beat JinjaCity(Uganda) 58-46.
In the mens encounter Nairobi City men beat Dar es sallam City of Tanzania 68-57.Nairobi won the first three quarters 15-13,27-17 and 21-11 but lost the last quarter 14-16 and were leading 42-30 at half time.It was Peter Kiganya's and Ansset Wafula input with 16points a piece each that gave Nairobi the win.Enroute to the finals Nairobi beat Mwanza 81-42 while Dar es salaam beat Kampala City 65-64 with half a basket win which was very painful to host Kampala city.
The next championships which will be the ninth edition will be held in Nairobi City in Kenya.This year's tournament attracted men's and women's teams from Kenya,Tanzania and host Uganda.Kigali of Rwanda and Bujumbura of Burundi failed to show up for the show as the confirmed earlier that they would participate in the championships.It was a good colourful event with over 9cities of East Africa participatingthat is Mombasa,Kisumu and Nairobi Cities of Kenya,Mwanza and Dar es salaam of Tanzania while Jinja with Kampala(host) cities from Uganda.
The next championship in the region is the Falcons Invitational tournamentin June/July same place in Lugogo indoor stadium Kampala, Uganda.

Three Matches were played in Lagos through the weekend in the Vmobile Premier Basketball League and the three wins and three losses produced by those fixtures appear to have settled a lot of calculations as the regular season gradually plays to an end.

Union Bank defeated Delta Force 77-70 on Friday while the Customs lost by three points to the Dodan Warriors on Saturday and Ebun Comets defeated eternal rivals Lagos Islanders 58-46 the following day. The results of the Atlantic Conference teams mean that Customs will need miracle plus extra force to qualify for the play off stage just as the Islanders hang on desperately to the last ticket. If the teams stay that way, it means that the Customs that featured in the Vmobile Challenge play off stage last year would have lost their ticket to the Islanders whom failed to qualify. On the other side the victories of the Union Bank, Comets and Dodan Warriors teams only means that they have firmly cemented their berths in the first leg of the play off holding in Port Harcourt. The three teams are now playing for final positions into the play off.

Union Bank were clear favourites over Delta Force of Asaba but it took added effort in the last quarter of the match before the visitors were subdued. Before the last moments of the last quarter, the game had all through at a clutch with two points separating both teams most of the time.
The Customs duel with Dodan Warriors was viewed as a die-hard game and it lived up to expectation. The Customs that lost their first fixture to the Warriors were desperate to secure a win for sake of team pride and also make a last minute dash for Port Harcourt but it turned out to nought.

The Comets game against Islanders was advertised like the game before them because of history and rivalry but the match lived below expectations as both teams invested heavily in defence than offence which left the result at a miserly 25-15 lead for the Comets at the break. The low scoreline is typical of both teams. At the height of their rivalry a game ended at 39-36 for the Comets in Lagos but it surprisingly produced a lot of fireworks and excitement more than the dominance of Comets as witnessed yesterday.

Comets captain Baba Jubril was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game and honoured with the ball.

THE Namibian Basketball Federation (NBF) is calling up players to report for trials.
The trials are compulsory, according to NBF officials, and the following male and female players have been called to attend the trials.

Women: Kornelia Nainda, Irja Gideon, Ndahalombili Kangandjera, Monde Sibolile, Maria Sibolile, Ndapewa Nanghala, Tuhafeni Namwoonde, Kizzy Murorua, Yovita Thomas, Maria Uugwanga, Aune Thomas, Ushi Karuuehi, Maja-Lisa Nautende Men: Tuli Shivute, Toivo Asheeke, Phillipus Kamati, Elias Shilongo, Nicodemus Haufiku, Michael Mukumbutwa, Albert Mahongo, Marcellius Mpareke, Raymond Nakapunda, Jessy Hauwanga, Marvin Asser, Frans Sakaria

By Gloria Kyomugisha

Men
Nairobi 68 Dar es Salaam 57
Women
Nairobi 62 Kampala 57
Third place
Kampala A (men)
Dar es Salaam (women)

PINT-SIZED forward Peter Kiganya grabbed a game-high 16 points and 18 rebounds as the Nairobi team humbled Dar es Salaam 68-57 to lift the East and Central Africa Inter-cities basketball championship title at Lugogo, Sunday.

Kiganya helped Nairobi pull away for an 8-point lead before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Ancette Wafula then took over scoring 16 points for Nairobi.

Nairobi eliminated Mwanza 81-42 while Dar es Salaam beat Kampala A 65-64 at the semi-final stage.

Nairobi women emulated their men’s team rallying behind Hilda Luvandwa and Angela Luchivya to claim the women’s title after a 62-57 defeat of Kampala City Council.

Luvandwa led Nairobi with 16 points as Luchivya notched 10 points, 3 assists and five boards.

Kenyan teams underlined their regional supremacy when they swept the titles on offer at the weekend's Eighth East and Central Africa Inter-cities basketball championship finals at Kampala's Lugogo Indoor Stadium.

The Nairobi men's and women's teams were more composed and exhibited maturity and better skills as they dominated the week-long tournament.

Nairobi maintained their composure to win 68-57. The Kenyans won the first three quarters 15-13, 27-17 and 21-11 but lost the fourth 14-16. Peter Kiganya and Ancette Wafula were Nairobi’s top scorers with 16 points each. Dar es salaam’s highest scorer was Charles Makene with 20 points. Nairobi had defeated Mwanza in the semis while Dar es Salaam eliminated Kampala.

Nairobi's women overcame stiff challenge from Kampala City Council to win 62-57. The host side put up a spirited fight and it appeared as though the game would go either way. Nairobi won the first two quarters 20-13 and 23-15 but lost the other quarters 10-16 and 13-9. East and Central Africa Basketball Federation chairman, Morris Alunga of Kenya, of Kenya and Uganda Sports Council official Florence Nkalubu awarded trophies to the winners.

The ninth edition of the regional championship will be hosted by Nairobi next year. This year’s tournament attracted men's and women's teams from Kenya, Tanzania and hosts Uganda.

Results from second round of Zimbabwe National Championship.

Pool A
Cameo – 59 UZ Stars – 12

Pool B
Hillcrest - 7 Varsity Leopards – 32
Varsity Leopards – 57 Jewels – 56

Pool C
Queens – 69 MSU – 14

Pool D
Giants – 36 Highlanders – 31
Giants – 20 Raiders –0
Highlanders – 20 Raiders –0



Go to the Quarter Finals
From Pool A – Cameo and UZ Stars
From Pool B – Jeweles and Varsity Leopards
From Pool C - Queens and MSU
From Pool D – Giants and Highlanders

Results from second round of Zimbabwe National Championship.

Pool A
Kingdon Cavaliers – 81 Classics – 39
Cameo – 85 Highlanders – 10
Highlanders – 62 Classics – 50
Kingdon Cavaliers – 39 Cameo – 48
Cameo – 63 Classics – 34
Kingdon Cavaliers – 83 Highlanders – 33

Pool B
Mature Poly – 20 Sakubva – 0
Varsity Leopards – 45 Jewels- 61
Mature Poly – 61 Varsity Leopards – 74
Jewels – 20 Sakubva –0
Sakubva – 0 Varsity Leopards – 20

Pool C
MSU – 62 Kings – 60
Celtics – 60 Pross –57
MSU – 67 Celtics – 83
Kings – 62 Pross – 79
MSU – 52 Pross – 77
Kings – 63 Celtics – 73

Pool D
Giants – 110 Lords – 62
Steelers – 41 Mufakose Hawks – 75
Giants – 20 Raiders – 0
Steelers – 20 Raiders – 0
Raiders – 0 Mufakose Hawks – 20
Giants – 70 Mufakose Hawks – 59
Lords – 20 Raiders – 0
Lords – 51 Mufakose Hawks – 59
Giants – 114 Steelers – 42
Lords – 45 Steelers – 44
Mufakose Hawks – 20 Raiders – 0


Go to the Quarter Finals
From Pool A – Cameo and Kingdom Cavaliers
From Pool B – Jeweles and Varsity Leopards
From Pool C - Celtics and Pross
From Pool D – Giants and Mufakose Hawks

ALOYSIUS BYAMUKAMA

KAMPALA

Results:
Women final
Nairobi 62 Kampala 57
3rd place (women)
Jinja 47 Dar 49
men
Kampala 121 Mwanza 78

HOSTING Kampala City Council ladies and men's teams finished second and third respectively in the East and Central Africa Inter City basketball championships that ended yesterday at Lugogo Indoor Stadium. The KCC Leopards, who had eliminated fellow Ugandan side Jinja in the semis, were trailing the Kenyans by 43-28 score at half time.

But Linda Tamale who only played the third quarter made 7 of the 16 points that narrowed the margin. Agatha Baliddawa (23 points) and Becky Akullo (10) then combined in the last quarter that ended 13-09 in favour of Kampala, but the Kenyans held on to the win.

Hilda Luvandwa and eventual Most Valuable Player (MVP) Angela Luchiuya from Nairobimade 20 and 11 points for the new champions.

The Kampala A side put a devastating 65-64 semi final loss to under dogs Dar es Salaam behind them and revenged on another Tanzanian side Mwanza with a 121-78 victory to snatch third place and a bronze medal.

Ken Balyejjusa, who was surprisingly benched in the semi final loss to Dar, was on fire with 28 points with Steven Omony and Henly Malinga adding 21 and 14 points.

Meanwhile, Jinja finished fourth after their close 47-49 loss to 2005 champions Dar es Salaam. The men's final was still going on by press time yesterday.

KAMPALA A secured their place in the men's quarter-finals by hammering fellow home side Entebbe 83-31 in the East and Central Africa Inter Cities basketball championships at Lugogo Indoor stadium.

They will be joined by Nairobi that has registered straight victories in their last three games and Dar es Salaam who should secure second place in pool B.

Ivan Enabu snatched the play of the day with his behind the back fake pass to Wilbrod Oketcho who converted 17 points with Isaac Afidra adding 12 points to give Kampala A their third consecutive win yesterday.

Meanwhile, Mombasa men's team will this year lose their Inter Cities crown after failing to make the trip while Dar es Salaam that has so far succumbed to two losses, are the women's defending champions.

The eighth edition of the regional championship that concludes on Sunday has been sponsored by Kampala City Council (KCC) and organized by KCC Leopards women's team.

Men

Kampala A 83 Entebbe 31
Nairobi 102 Jinja 63

Women

Jinja 75 Kisumu 39

Today

Men: Quarter-finals

Women
Kampala v Kisumu
Jinja v Dar-es-Salaam

Only seven months after successfully barring Nigeria's way from a fourth consecutive World Cup finals, southern African country, Angola, is planning to do a double in quick time. Angola want to host the 2010 African Nations Cup finals at the expense of the world's largest black nation.

After the shortlist of four bids from the initial eight had been released by CAF on Sunday night, it became clear that a straight race between Nigeria and Angola had been accomplished.

Gabon, who are floating a joint bid with neighbouring Equatorial Guinea, recently withdrew from hosting the 5th African Women Championship for which she had won the right. It was the third time that the tiny, oil-rich nation in central Africa would put CAF in dire straits, compelling the world body to look for hosts for tournaments that were at the door. CAF has already handed the AWC to Nigeria to host for the third time, after 1998 and 2002.

Although CAF inspectors will still go round the short-listed five countries in July and August before a final decision is made in mid-September, it is clear that the continent's football-governing body would not be comfortable with anything involving Gabon, meaning that even if they find Equatorial Guinea worthy and willing, they could advise them to opt for the staging of a junior tournament in a few years' time. Perhaps, the African Youth Championship in 2009, or the 6th African Women Championship in two years.

As for Libya, their case is so weak that even the bid committee is not enthusiastic about pushing it with vigour. North African countries, Tunisia and Egypt, hosted the finals in 2004 and 2006, with the 2008 edition to be held in Ghana.

Although Angola have a solid case to host, since the southern African region has hosted the finals only once before (South Africa, in 1996), it remains to be seen how much the infrastructure that was destroyed by 27 years of civil war has been put back into shape.

The country has oil money, and appearance at the World Cup finals this summer will go a long way to underscore the fact that Angola is not only about basketball. It will also initiate a football culture, but that would still be in the early stages by 2010.

Angola have not hosted an African competition till date, with no peace in that country since independence in 1975. The death of rebel leader, Jonas Savimbi four years ago, paved the way for peace, but the cost of a debilitating 27-year civil strife is still being counted by the government and people.

How much could be achieved in three years? CAF inspectors will arrive Angola in July to discover that it would not be a suitable venue for its flagship tournament, which is now a universally-followed three- week, 16-team championship with all the paraphernalia of an African World Cup.Yet, Nigeria have to be cautious. There is still the reported gang-up by southern African countries, on the basis of having hosted the championship only once before. South Africa, with her immense resources, is known to be ready to finance construction work in Angola at break-neck speed, and offer other technical support. But this is one race that looks sealed for Nigeria.

However, it must be recalled that the World Cup 2006 race also looked sealed for the Eagles after they were drawn in a relatively cheap pool involving Angola, Gabon, Algeria, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. But we are still shedding tears for that over-confidence.

The message in this is for the Nigeria 2010 Bid Team, which has the highly-experienced and competent Dr. Amos Adamu (CAF executive committee member and FIFA executive member), not to rest on its oars, and keep the momentum going until the final decision is made on September 14.

By Adomola Olajire

New boys Flames basketball club seem undaunted by the mammoth task facing them to make a mark in the local game. The outfit formed last October had a baptism of fire in their first league match at the hands of Police Academy at the weekend. Despite the 80-61 drubbing by Police Academy, founder chairman Marvin Griffith said they are poised to take the local basketball scene by storm. "This is our first time in the league and we definitely hope for the championship, though we use mostly new players," he said.

However, they face a tough task again this weekend in games when they make the long trip to Gaborone to face Dolphins and Troopers. Besides the distance, Flames face a major test of wits in the weekend games especially against Troopers, one of the best sides in the country. But vice chairman and player coach Matt Loewen of England said they are looking forward to beat their weekend rivals. "We are going to give them a run for their money," vowed the hopeful Loewen.

Flames was formed after a split in the soldier-dominated Spl-inters club. It currently has 12 players mainly foreigners living in Botswana. The club has made temporary arrangements to train at the Mater Spei College. Griffith said that though they have split from Splinters, there were no hard feelings between the two sides. "Splinters is full of soldiers and we struggled to get to the first team and this was not easy," Griffith said.He added that Francistown is rich in basketball talent and it is possible to have more than two teams in the city. The formation of Flames increased the number of basketball teams in Botswana to 16. So far Francistown has only two teams. Griffith said that in the near future, they intend to introduce a women side.

Like all basketball sides, Flames is facing financial constraints. Scores of players interviewed by Mmegi Sport said they spend their money to finance the club because they do not have a sponsor. Loewen said the boys are keen play basketball and since he joined the club, they have shown a lot of commitment despite lack of finances and facilities. "We share the court with the school guys here but the school authorities do not allow us to practice after 7pm," said the worried Loewen. Flames has not yet completed the registration process with the Registrar of Societies. Loewen told Mmegi Sport that they have long applied but the process is unnecessarily delayed by the Registrar's office. They have been told that their file is lost but the office ha s been reluctant to accept another application. Both Griffith and Loewen lamented that the delay affects their negotiations with potential sponsors.

They said companies willing to sponsor them require proposals accompanied by certificate of registration. "We are trying to build a team here. Most of the players have not played competitive basketball but optimistically we would achieve good results," said one of the veteran players Moeti Dumbe. He is coaching Mater Spei College basketball team.

By Gloria Kyomugisha

Men
Kampala A 83 Entebbe 31
Nairobi 102 Jinja 63
Women
Jinja 75 Kisumu 39
Today
Men: Quarter-finals
Women
Kampala v Kisumu
Jinja v Dar-es-Salaam

KAMPALA A secured their place in the men’s quarter-finals by hammering fellow home side Entebbe 83-31 in the East and Central Africa Inter Cities basketball championships at Lugogo Indoor stadium.

They will be joined by Nairobi that has registered straight victories in their last three games and Dar es Salaam who should secure second place in pool B.

Ivan Enabu snatched the play of the day with his behind the back fake pass to Wilbrod Oketcho who converted 17 points with Isaac Afidra adding 12 points to give Kampala A their third consecutive win yesterday.

Meanwhile, Mombasa men’s team will this year lose their Inter Cities crown after failing to make the trip while Dar es Salaam that has so far succumbed to two losses, are the women’s defending champions.

The eighth edition of the regional championship that concludes on Sunday has been sponsored by Kampala City Council (KCC) and organized by KCC Leopards women’s team.

THE East and Central Africa Inter Cities basketball championship ends this evening at Lugogo Indoor Stadium with a closing ceremony expected to be presided over by Kampala mayor Hajji Nassar Ssebagala.

The men's final will feature the semi-final victors between defending champions Nairobi and Mwanza and hosts Kampala and visiting Dar es Salaam. The semis were still being played by press time yesterday.

The weeklong basketball bonanza featured six ladies sides including Uganda's Jinja and hosts Kampala, who played a round robin.

The men's category had seven teams who were divided in two pools A and B where Kampala A side and Mwanza qualified from pool A while Nairobi and Dar es Salaam lead pool B.
Uganda's other side Jinja was kicked out of the tournament for failure to clear participation fees.

Nairobi and Dar es Salaam are the respective men and women defending champions .

Nairobi's campaign for a regional crown stayed on course yesterday when they crushed Jinja 102-63 in a basketball match in the East and Central Africa Inter-Cities championships at Lugogo Stadium, Kampala, Uganda.

Ancette Wafula hit 26 points and Peter Kiganya posted 13 for Nairobi, who led 50-29 at the break. Rukarie Sam made 15 for the Ugandans.

Nairobi had earlier whipped Dar-es-Salaam 78-58 in their opener on Tuesday, with Kiganya scoring 23 points, Richard Osano contributing 17 and Ben Oluoch adding a further 15.

Nairobi women's side also did well when they beat Jinja 57-41 and upped their chances of reaching the semi-finals.Joyce Makung' scored 10 points, while Hilda Luvandwa and Caroline Achieng' combined for another 18. The team was boosted by the arrival on Thursday of key guard Angela Luchivya.

"The matches have not been easy for us without Angie," said captain Evelyn Kedogo. "But with her arrival, things will be better."

Nairobi had earlier beaten Kisumu City 75-36 in their opening campaign, although they later lost 54-44 to host city Kampala in their second match.

Ike Nwankwo is champion of Portugal, with is team Ovarense, they have win the final play off by 3-0 over Ginasio.

BULAWAYO basketball teams face a mammoth task when they face three clubs from Harare and Gweru in the first round of the national league set to be played at BCD Court tomorrow.

City champions Giants and Lords clash with Harare sides Mufakose Hawks, Raiders and Steelers from Gweru for twoquarter final places. The national league is the biggest basketball tournament in the country where top basketball sides battle it out for honours.
A total of 17 teams are set to sweat it out for quarterfinal places in Bulawayo, Harare, Mutare and Gweru. Each city will play host to four teams with the exception of Bulawayo which will have five teams.
The top two teams in each pool will proceed to the quarterfinals which will be played in Bulawayo the following weekend. A lot will be at stake in tomorrow’s games as clashes between Bulawayo and Harare teams are treated as more than just games but a battle for supremacy between the cities. Mufakose Hawks and Raiders have been finding the going tough in the Harare league so Lords and Giants should use that to their own advantage.
Meanwhile, one of the matches was played last night and involved Giants and Lords. The match had been scheduled for tomorrow but was changed to yesterday because Lords do not play on Saturdays. Lords are a Seventhday Adventist run club.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: Steelers v Mufakose Hawks (9am); Giants v Raiders (10.30am); Highlanders v Raiders (12pm); Giants v Raiders (1.30pm); Giants v Mufakose Hawks (6pm); Lords v Raiders (7.30pm)
Sunday: Lords v Mufakose Hawks (8.30am); Giants v Raiders (10am); Mufakose Hawks v Raiders (11.30am); Lords v Giants (1pm).

Marella International School has won the maiden edition of basketball championship for private secondary schools Ibadan, as they defeated Lead City Secondary schools by 19 to 17 in a final match played inside indoor sports hall of Liberty Stadium Ibadan. The basketball tournament which was organized by the zonal coordinator of Federal Ministry of Sports and Social Development zone one Mr. Peter Nelson as a pilot study begins on 3rd and ended on the 13th of this month.

The Commissioner for Youth and Sports in Oyo State Alhaji Mudashiru Ayandeji who represented Governor Alao Akala at the final of the ceremony commended the standard of the competition, while he reiterated in his speech the commitment of the present administration to revive school sports which has been moribund in this recent time, urging private school to include sports in their school curriculum.

While speaking in the same vein, the proprietor of the winning side, Marella, Mr. Edward Adebisi expressed his happiness to FMSSD the organizer of the tourney for remembering private schools in their programmes this time around; the sector he claimed had suffered too much neglect in hands of government.

" Participation of school athletes in the sporting programmes should be accorded high priority in all private secondary schools because there is too much emphasize and attention on public schools when it comes to schools sports" Adebisi noted adding that private schools gives sporting activities more priority in their schools curriculum.

"It would be noted that majority of our international athletes are product of school sports programme hence our participation in sporting competitions had immense value in promoting the physical. Social and emotional development of our kids status". He enthused.

The Nigeria flagship league the premier basketball league proudly sponsored by telecommunications giant, Vmobile Nigeria enters week-7 this weekend with action slated for various venues across the country.

The Sports Hall of the Lagos National Stadium will host all three action of the Atlantic conference with conference leader, Union bank basketball club of Lagos hosting visiting Delta Force basketball club of Asaba in a reverse fixture.

The Stallion boys as the Emma Okolo tutored bankers are called will make all effort to justify its leadership position of the action packed Atlantic conference thereby compounding the woes of the visitor who managed a 61-59 points win last week over Islanders for it first win of the season.

On Saturday it will be the turn of Nigeria Customs basketball club to take to the floor against wounded Dodan Warriors basketball club in a local derby.

The encounter promises to be a thriller since both side will attempt to brighten it chances of making the final-4 playoffs.

Sunday is a match dubbed "friendly" between Islanders basketball and Ebun Comets basketball club, another local derby.

It is dub "friendly" because coaches of the two teams Toyin Sonoiki (Islanders) and Ayo Bakare (Comets) have so many things in common as regard basketball in Nigeria.

The Savannah conference pairing still retain the face of last weekend as there was little adjustment to the fixture which saw different games played last weekend.

Tapgun Rockets Vs Kano Pillars
Plateau Peaks Vs Yelwa Hawks
AHIP Giants Vs Niger Potters.

By Olusegun Ikuesan

IN an epic David versus Goliath battle, Bulawayo basketball champions Giants are set to clash with city rivals Lords in the first round of the national league in a match set to be played at BCD tonight.

The other matches of the national league are scheduled for Saturday but the city derby was moved to tonight because Lords cannot play on Saturdays because of their religious beliefs.
The national league will see a total of 17 teams sweat it out for honours in Bulawayo, Harare, Mutare and Gweru. Each city will host four teams with the exception of Bulawayo, which will play host to five clubs.
The top two teams in each pool will proceed to the quarterfinals which will be played in the city next weekend.
Lords have been grouped together with Giants, Harare sides Mufakose Hawks, Raiders and Gweru side Steelers.
Bulawayo sides could easily progress to the next round as long as they beat the Harare teams and little known Steelers.
Mufakose Hawks and Raiders have been finding the going tough in the Harare league thus Lords and Giants should use that to their advantage. The toughest group is in Harare where defending champions Cameo are in the same pool with fellow Harare club Cavalliers, Bulawayo’s Highlanders and Classics.
Cameo are favourites to proceed to the quarterfinals and it will be a tussle for the other teams to compete for the second spot to make it to the next round.
Highlanders and Classics will have to beat the Harare sides to proceed to the quarterfinals.
Mutare will also be a hive of activity when Jewels and Varsity Leopards from Harare, Africa University and Mutare based White Devils clash.
Gweru is set to have Kings from Bulawayo, their local boys Rockets, Naba Pros from Harare and Gentlemen’s Association from Mutare.
In an interview yesterday, Lords captain Wayne Morgan said his side was optimistic of pulling an upset against Giants and would try to shrug off the ‘underdog tag.’
“The team is much more stronger than ever as we have acquired the services of a versatile player in Offie Dolly to add to the current squad.
“We have been training for two months undergoing regular vigorous training sessions for the event so we have all the reason to win. Giants can underestimate us at their own peril.
“The game was moved to tomorrow (today) because we are a Seventh Day Adventist run team so we cannot play on Saturdays,” he said.
The team also boasts of the services of Leroy Martins and playmaker Michael McDonald.
History favours Giants to emerge victors as the champions have beaten Lords in almost all of their outings. This year Giants beat Lords 7937 in a preseason friendly match but the Lords captain played down the issue of history counting in today’s game.
“This game has nothing to do with the number of times Giants have defeated us. Stakes are high for us to do everything possible to win the match and we will do just that…fight to win the match,” he said.
The national league is an annual event in which top basketball teams in the country clash for honours. National team selectors also get a chance to pick players for the national side.

By Pius Ayinor
Lagos

It may yet turn out another day of victory for Niger Potters as they host Bauchi Nets this afternoon at the Federal Sports hall in Minna, Niger State. The view comes in view of the result of their last match by weekend against Plateau Peaks of Jos.

The Potters pushed down the Peaks with a 93-66 comprehensive beating. The result was by far above different from the previews of basketball experts before the teams stepped out on court. The Peaks were tipped to give the Minna opponents a very tough experience just as the Kano Pillars who lost at that by just one point did.

By the same preview pattern for the game at hand today, the Potters may be in for a swell time. Even though the Nets have heavily fortified their team for this season, experts still believe the Nets would find the Potters quite unbeatable. For the Bauchi team, it is quite a testy one as they are visiting Minna with an impressive unbeaten run. They are getting set for the first stage of the play off but a win for them over Potters this afternoon will come as a huge surprise. But just as Nets seek to qualify while staying unbeaten, their hosts are battling hard to lead the Savannah Conference teams into the play off series.

The playing has quite a lot of momentum. But last weekend the other games followed the form books as Pillars and Yelwa Hawks are almost tying up their tickets to the play offs. In Kano the local derby between the Pillars and AHIP ended in a 20-point win for Pillars with the result at 76-56. The road to the play off event has gone quite murky for AHIP who upset the Pillars in a Vmobile Challenge meet last year in Kaduna.

At the Bauchi gymnasium, Yelwa hawks beat Tapgun Rockets 63-47. Nobody expected the Rockets to win from on set. The water is also very murky for Tapgun Rockets who are yet to make it to the play off stage since the Jos team joined the top league in 1998.

Defending women champions Mombasa City leave this morning for Kampala for the East and Central Africa inter-cities basketball championships. The tournament starts tomorrow at Lugogo Indoor Sports Complex in the Ugandan capital.

Coast Basketball Association chairman Tobby Otum, however, said that Mombasa Combined men’s team will not travel due to lack of money. The women side comprises players from league side Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

The port side was recently crowned the East and Central Africa Club champions and much is expected from them in Kampala.

Team coach Anthony Ojukwu, is optimistic his side will come back with the title.

The annual event, which was held in Mombasa last year, has attracted 18 cities.

Host city Kampala is expected to enter two men teams and two women teams. Jinja will have one men team while Dar-es-Salaam will send both men and women teams. Mbeya, Tanga, Lusaka and Kigali will also be represented.

Nairobi combined women side consisting players from Railways, Sprite Storms, Telkom, Strathmore and KCB Lioness have also confirmed participation.

The Liberia National Olympic Committee(LNOC) has finally settled the crisis in the Liberia Basketball Federation (LBF) involving the Uhuru Kings basketball team and NPA Pythons. Uhuru Kings recently filed a protest against the NPA Pythons basketball team for using a foreign play Emmanuel Bassey with out his transfer certificate, but the LBF ruled in favor of NPA Pythons. Uhuru Kings then took the case to the Olympic Committee. Following the investigation, the Olympic Committee ruled that game three of the best out of three semi final match between the two be play over and the secretary General and the Technical Committee chairman of the LBF be suspended. The reschedule match was played yesterday and was won by NPA Pythons 81-62 points. This means Pythons will meet Invincible again in the grand final which is expected to begin on Friday May 19, 2006.
In a related development, T-Chons and Commissioners have won the second and third division championship respectively. The second division female final came to an end on May 15, when Phoenix beat rival K-Delta in four games in their best out of five final.

The Inter-cities basketball tournament starts today in Kampala, Uganda.

The championship features men and women teams from various cities in East and Central African countries.

They are Dar es Salaam, Lubumbashi, Lusaka, Luanda, Goma, Ndola, Antananarivo, Mbeya, Arusha, Jinja and Kisumu.

Others are Mombasa, Mwanza, Bujumbura, Lilongwe, Nairobi, Kampala, Kinshasa and Kigali.

The Botswana Basketball Association (BBA) national league started over the weekend with a series of matches in Gaborone and Selebi-Phikwe. Just like last year, the league has not been sponsored. However, BBA secretary general Mothusi Thipe told Mmegi Sport that they are negotiating with a potential sponsor.

"Our league has to run with the international basketball league circle, so we will continue to negotiate while the league continues," he said. This year's Botswana basketball men's league has 14 teams while women have four. Thipe said the small number of teams in the women's competition is a cause for concern and something needs to be done. Last year, there were five women teams but one dropped out because of financial constraints.

Thipe said they will get more teams in the coming season. He said a number of teams are only left with few formalities to become full BBA members. Meanwhile, in games played over the weekend, Thebephatshwa-based Eagles lost 115-60 to defending champions Cadets. The army side was no match for the foreign-dominated Cadets, who did as they pleased. The teams went for a recess with Cadets leading Eagles by 25 to 15.

In another scintillating encounter over the weekend, the marauding Spartans walloped BDF V 91-69. In the women's competition, Vixens wallo ped Relics 38-12 while champions Troopers trounced Thebephatshwa 123-12. Molepolole Basketball club saw red as Spartans walloped it 124-36. The first leg of the league is scheduled to end in July.

The national basketball league championship will kick off tomorrow, May 17, at the Manneh Sillah Memorial Lawn in Banjul.

The championship came on the heels of the Super Cup final played on Saturday, May 13, in which the league defending champions, Wallidan team emerged winners after beating their arch rivals, Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) by 60-58.

In the grand opening match tomorrow, the knock-out title holders, YMCA, will lock horns with Gambega at 5.30 pm in Banjul.

The super defending champions and Super Cup title holders, Wallidan will entertain Vitalait on Thursday, May 18, while Dingareh will play Old Hands on Friday, May 19. On the same day, Saints will also play Bakau.

Meanwhile, the Basketball federation will have a meeting with the players' committee today to discuss salient points before the kick-off of the championship. According to the press release from the Gambia Basketball Federation, the sole aim of setting up of the players' committee is to work hand-i- hand with the federation on issues geared towards the development of basketball in The Gambia. "The players' committee has been set up in which two players represent each team. The newly born committee has held two subsequent meetings during which matters of great concern were tabled and thoroughly discussed," the release states.

Fixtures

Week One

Date Venue

Wed17/05/06 YMCA v Gambega M/Sillah
Thur18/05/06 Wallidan v Vitalait M/Sillah
Fri 19/05/06 Dingareh v Old Hands M/Sillah
Fri 19/05/06 Saints v Bakau M/Sillah
Sat 20/05/06 Mass Sosseh v S/K West M/Sillah
Sat 20/05/06 Street Jam v Brikama M/Sillah

Week Two

Wed 24/05/06 Bakau v SK West M/Sillah
Thur 25/05/06 Vitalait v Old Hands M/Sillah
Fri 26/05/06 Brikama v Gambega M/Sillah
Fri 26/05/06 Dingareh v Saints M/Sillah
Sat 27/05/06 Mass Sosseh v Street Jam M/Sillah
Sat 27/05/06 YMCA v Wallidan M/Sillah

Week Three

Tue 30/05/06 YMCA v Old Hands M/Sillah
Wed 31/05/06 Wallidan v Bakau M/Sillah
Thur 01/06/06 Dingareh v S/K West M/Sillah
Fri 02/06/06 Wallidan v Old Hands (F) M/Sillah
Fri 02/06/06 Mass Sosseh v Gambega M/Sillah
Sat 03/06/06 Dingareh v KMC (F) M/Sillah
Sat 03/06/06 Street Jam v Vitalait M/Sillah

Week Four

Wed 07/06/06 Brikama v Old Hands M/Sillah
Thur 08/06/06 Vitalait v S/K West M/Sillah
Fri 09/06/06 Gambega v Bakau M/Sillah
Fri 09/06/06 Wallidan v Mass Sosseh M/Sillah
Sat 10/06/06 Dingareh v Street Jam M/Sillah

By Paul Munyuki
Harare

THE Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) has again released a revised programme for the national championships.

The mother body was forced to revise the fixture after they came under fire from most of the clubs last month who even went to the extent of threatening to boycott the games. The tournament now has four pools, one more than the previous set-up, and all clubs will now have to fight for glory starting from the pools while the previous fixture gave byes into the quarter-finals to more than four clubs. The quarterfinals, semi-finals, and the finals will be played over three days in Bulawayo at the end of this month. The tournament has four pools namely Harare, Mutare, Bulawayo and Gweru.

The Harare pool has two teams from the capital and two from Bulawayo with the Mutare pool consisting of two teams from Mutare and the other two from Harare. The Gweru pool houses two Harare teams, one from Bulawayo and one from the Midlands while the largest of the pools -- Bulawayo -- hosts two from Harare and Bulawayo and one from Midlands. The preliminary rounds will be played on May 19 to 21 while the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals will be played on the 26th to 28th of this month as well. One of the club representatives said the fixture could be a burden to the Harare clubs.

"The Harare clubs are very concerned with the decision to take the quarterfinals, semi-finals and the finals to Bulawayo," said the official.

Nairobi have named the final men and women's team for the East and Central Africa Inter Cities championbships that starts in Kampala, Uganda on Wednesday.

The teams were due to depart from the Kenyan capital yesterday night boy road to the Kampala show that throws off at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium and YMCA Wandegeya courts.

National coach Thomas Olumbo has been putting the players through their paces at the Nyayo National Stadium was optimistic that despite short training schedule, the players would do well.

Nairobi Basketball Association (NBA) chairman Ronny Owino, while naming the final squad after the last sessions, wished the teams well and asked them to bring both trophies to Nairobi.

Mombasa (men) and Dar es Salaam (women) are the defending champions. Other teams that have confirmed participation are Kisumu, Mwanza, Mbeya, Bujumbura, Kigali, Jinja and host Kampala.

The players men: Ben Oluoch, Lewis Muya, Patrick Kirui, Sam Ouma, Furaha Odari, Peter Kiganya, Ancette Wafula, Moses Shida, Vincent Ambani, Victor Odendo and Abel Nson.

Women: Evalyn Kedogo, Hilda Luvandwa, Angela Luchivya, Lorraine Achieng, Carol Ouma, Caroline Achieng, Joyce Makungu, Eunice Ouma, Treaza opudo, Evalyne Achieng and Lucy Wanjiku.

Coaches are Thomas Olumbo, Eliud Nzioka and George Mayienga. Team managers, Sylvia Njeri, Dann O'Werre and Steve Nyakina, Doctor Ken Shikuku and Stasistician Joseph Onyango.

Dann O'WERE

By Gloria Kyomugisha

Falcons 78 Warriors 69
Power 63 Hawks 58
KIU 71 Livingstone 59
Bush Court 82 Jammers 77
Heaters 68 MBC Rocks 37
UCU 85 Vegetarians 65
Marines 48 Miracle 44

Women
A-1 68 Cubs 28
Leopards 101 Comets 16
Rangers 63 MUK Cubs 35

FALCON’S Guy Rutaisire scored 26 points to single-handedly humble Warriors 78-69 in a thrilling MTN basketball league game on Sunday at YMCA.

The Gambia Basketball Federation (GBF) will meet with the newly formed players' committee prior to the commencement of the national basketball league season, a press release from the Gambia Basketball Association has stated.

According to the release, that was signed by Ms Mariama Jobarteh, the secretary-general of the federation, the basketball federation will have the meeting with the players' committee on Tuesday, May 16, at 6.00pm at Banjul City Council (BCC) offices, to discuss salient points before the kick off the mouth-watery championship. The sole aim of setting up of the players' committee, according to the release, is make sure the committee works hand-in-hand with the federation on issues geared towards the development of basketball in The Gambia.

The release added: "The players' committee has been set up in which two players represent each team in the committee. The newly born committee has held two subsequent meetings during which matters of great concern and importance were tabled and thoroughly discussed, In this regard, the committee has decided to have a meeting with the federation before the commencement of the season." the release states.

Wallidan basketball team of Banjul emerged the winners in the 2005/06 Super Cup final after beating their arch rivals YMCA in a keenly contested final played on Saturday, May 13 , at the Manneh Sillah memorial lawn in Banjul.

Attended by hundreds of enthusiastic spectators, the last season league champions, Wallidan beat the knockout title holders, YMCA by 60-58 in a fiery and exciting encounter.

As signalled by the final score line (60-58), the final was keenly contested by both sides. But Wallidan managed to snatch the coveted title in the dying minutes with a sensational performance from their versatile player, 'Yankees'. As winners, Wallidan received a giant trophy and cash prize of D5000.00, while the runners up,YMCA, went home D3000 richer.

Makerere University, Kampala International University (KIU) and Nkumba Marines are fighting for basketball supremacy in the inaugural utl Invitational University Games that started earlier this month.

Makerere and KIU have already spit fire after securing wins in their opening encounters over Makerere University Business School (MUBS) and Kampala University (KU) respectively.

Makerere stars David Kiberu, Rogers Serunyigo, Mande Jurani and Ben Komaketch had no respect for their business wing (MUBS) whom they stamped 50-40 two weeks ago.

Their women counter-parts the Sparks demolished MUBS by 82-14 courtesy of Olivia Mulwana, Linda Tamale and Vicky Nassolo.Makerere's main obstacle lies in money spenders KIU. KIU comprise highly rated stars like Isaac Afridra and Emma Baguma who have ruled the Ugandan court for sometime.

The other basketball giants to watch are Nkumba Marines that are yet to start their bid for the utl cash but are certain of emerging from their pool that has KIU, Kyambogo and Kampala University. The Marines expect reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) to boost their challenge.

"Norman is coming back soon and I think I have already one hand on this Utl money," said Marines manager Patrick Ssebuliba. The games resume tomorrow with Kyambogo hosting Kampala University.

By Patrick Omorodion


Union Bank Basketball Club of Lagos Saturday dug into their wealth of experience to shoot out the rampaging Dodan Warriors also of Lagos in a nerve wrecking Vmobile Basketball Premier League encounter decided inside the Indoor Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos.

Dodan Warriors tutored by Alex Owocho took the first shot after the jump ball to prove to all they were there for a repeat of their first round defeat of the bankers but the boys of Emmanuel Okolo fought back to lead 20-18 after the first quarter.

The second quarter saw the Warriors parading a more younger bunch of players take Union Bank on a running lesson, picking 16 points to their opponent’s six to finish the second quarter at 34-26. The tempo was kept but Edem Ekpeyong inspired his colleagues and they closed the lead to just two points at 46-44 in favour of the Warriors.

The race for victory became fiercer as the last quarter got under way and again Ekpeyong brought Union Bank level at 50-50 and thereafter it became a ding dong affair with the bankers relying more on experience to check their much more fit and agile counterparts.

Time left for the Warriors to seal victory like they did in the first round was just 11 seconds with a point ahead at 64-63 but the Warriors blew when a faulty pass was intercepted by the bankers who made for the hoop through Shola Alanyande who was fouled in the process.

At this time the hall was tensed and Warriors fans prayed for Alanyande to miss the free throws. He missed the first but got the second to level scores at 64-64 with just three seconds left for play. The Warriors could not utilize the advantage and the game had to go into overtime of five minutes.

Desperation crept in for the youthful Warriors who still had the stamina to stretch the Bankers but the more experienced boys who got some pep talks from their coach, Okolo held on to the ball and got fouled by the Warriors who managed to pick five points to Union Bank’s 15 in the extra time to end the game at 79-69 and give Union Bank a deserved victsory.

During the first round, Dodan Warriors had also dragged Union Bank into extra time and overpowered their much more experienced opponents to win at 78-73. It was not all sad story the Col. Sam Ahmedu sponsored side as they got a technical victory over Delta Force who were penalised by the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) for failing to provide electricity during their game in Asaba which was abandoned following power outage.

According to the NBBF secretary general, Segun Akinlotan, “it was the responsibility of the host team to provide electricity and the rules are clear on that, so the technical committee had to award the match to Dodan Warriors”.

In another Atlantic Conference match decided Friday in Asaba, Delta Force beat Lagos Islanders 61-59, a victory which Islanders proprietor, Toyin Sonoiki described as fraudulent, saying that the home team did everything to secure victory.

On Opening night of the14th MBA Championship, Sports and Recreation Club upset The Group (68 - 64) in D-1 men at Youth Centre Indoor Basketball Court.

Tournament was officially opened on 4th May (Thu) here in Male'. Total 14 teams participated in different categories.

Division 2 opening was happened on 6th Sat. Hurricane won the mach in a close margin against TC sports 75 - 74.

In the women's opening, solid Victory Sports Club dumped The Group 68 - 45.
This tournament was sponsored by DHIRAAGU (Telecom Company).

The festive is design to play 34 matches in 23 days and will tempered till 26th May.

Participants:

Men (D-1)
Thee Group
SRC
Hurricane
Victory

Men (D-2)
TC Sports
Hurricane
Club HDC
VYANSA
Eagles
SRC

Women
Victory
AMICA
The group
SRC

By Ali NASEER
FIBA correspondent in Maldives

It's another season over for the youngsters being groomed to take the national and international basketball scenes under the atmosphere of the Nigerian Big
Man Camp 2006. The now annual training programme for teenagers ended on Saturday in Lagos, Nigeria.

The first phase of the Nigerian Big Man Camp 2006 by the weekend but with some of the kids who took part in the 2005 Nigeria Top-50 camp moving over
to Dakar, Senegal for another leg of camp under the sponsorship of sports wear manufacturing giant NIKE.

The players are Harry Ezennbe (AHIP), Solomon Alao, Ibrahim Adamu, (Kano Pillars), Ismaila Dauda (Kano State), Ayodele Ahmed, Mbaram Omori (Dodan
Warriors), Temidayo Adebayo (Warriors Academy), Frank Benjamin-Eze (Comets), Ehime Orukpe (Ebun Comets) and Mbah Ifeanyi (Lagos Islanders).

These players show cased their talents last year and were promptly snapped up by teams in the national league. They are attending another international camp
that will further fine-tune their skills just as some of their counterparts from Senegal visited Nigeria for the last October camp in Lagos, Nigeria big-man camp coordinator Masai Ujiri enthused.

The Big Man Camp is organised for teenage players with minimum height of about 6-8" and above. The camp comes under the arrangement of Radar Hoops – a basketball management outfit run by two former Nigerian internationals Masai Ujiri and Godwin Owinge. The first camp held three years ago at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in northern part of the country before it changed venue to Lagos last year obviously for easier human resources management of the programme and the awesome media presence in Lagos.

For all three camps run, it has meant working with a pool of international, local coaches and former national team players. Some of the US based coaches who worked last year with the kids includes Jarrin Akana (Denver Nuggets), Joe Touomouu (BWB) and Tommy Land Ryan Marks.

But wherever the venue may be, trainers involved or players working out, Masai says the focus remains the same.

"From the on set the idea was to get our young players to get the right training at the right stage of their careers. We are building them up in such a way that they will understand exactly what is on offer outside especially at the NBA and foreign leagues that they are aspiring to get involved. There are some cheats who claim to be managers and they have to prepared to deal with such
situation.

"When they are mentally set before venturing out, then we can expect the best for them whether they eventually play basketball or not," Masai said.

Nestle Milo and Union Bank through their Sports Club backed this year's programme.

Delta Force basketball club of Asaba last Friday at the Sports Hall of the Asaba Township Stadium recorded its first ever victory in the six-week old Vmobile premier league with a 61-59 poionts win over Islanders basketball club of Lagos.

The Asaba based team who also last week lost its controversial week-4 encounter with Dodan Warriors in the board room redeemed its image with that all important win but still occupy the bottom of the Atlantic conference table with 6 points.

In Lagos Union Bank fought the battle of its live to wade off the stiff opposition mounted against by Dodan Warriors basketball club in a local derby at the Sports Hall of the Lagos national stadium.

The Stallion boys as the bankers are known won the hard fought encounter 79-69 points at over-time after both side ended the fourth quarter with 64 points apiece.

The more experienced Uniona Bank spear-headed by Louis Edem Ekpeyong who led the floor on the beautiful night with 26 points and Ejike Ugboaja who had another double-double of 19 points and 16 rebounds won the first quater 20-18 points but lost the second quarter to the rampaging Warriors boys 16-06 for a first half score of 34-26 points in favour of the Warriors.

The banker came out strongly in the third qaurter and proved that they are not in any mood to go down to the Warriors a second time in the league having lost their first meeting 78-73points to win the quarter 18012 points and continue the pressure which paid off in the last quarter which it also won 20-18 points before blasting home in the five-minute over-time for 15-05 points to shot to the top of the table with 11 points from five wins and a lose.

The Sunday pairing between Ebun Comets basketball club and Customs basketball club stressed into yet another over-time with the former Akure-based team winning by 69-67 points.

Customs inspirational guard and D'Tigers captain Abdulrahman Mohammed blistering effort could not save the borders boys from defeat as the youthful Comets side match them strength for strength, skill for skill.

Customs who initially appear set to brightened its chances of making the conference final-4 playoffs with a 15-10 points win in the first quarter soon surrender the next two quarters to the Baba Jibril captained side (13-08) and (20-18), its effort to redeem itselve from defeat in the fourth quarter could only take the match into five-minute over-time which it eventually lost.

Kano Pillars continues it foray in the Savannah conference with an emphatic 76-56 points win over AHIP Giant basketball club in a local derby played at the Sports Hall of the Sani Abacha stadium, Kano.

In Minna, home team and 2005 Vmobile challenge runner-up Niger Potters basketball handed down a better defeat to visiting Plateau Peaks basketball club of Jos.

The Minna side ran away with cummulative scores of 93-56 points to brighten its chances of picking one of the four slots for the conference playoffs.

And in Bauchi Yelwa Hawks continues it impressive performance with a 63-47 points victory over Tapgun Rockets basketball club of Jos.

By ALOYSIUS BYAMUKAMA

Results
Finals
Kabojja 20 Kitende 15
Girls
Kibuli SS 20 Crane High 18
Boys' semis
Kabojja 48 Lubiri SS 38
Kitende 28 Kibuli SS 24

Kabojja Secondary School and Kibuli SS are the new respective boys and girls national school's basketball champions after a one-week campaign at Ndejje SS.

Kabojja beat newcomers St. Mary's Boarding Secondary School - Kitende to clinch the title for the second time after their 2002 triumph.
Jimmy Enabu, who had 21 points in the semi-final win over surprise package Lubiri SS, notched 13 points, including a triple three pointer to win himself the Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade.
New comers Kitende, playing for the first time in the championships, had Deng Gol post only 5 points.

The Wakiso district based sports powerhouse had eliminated hopefuls Lubiri High 38-24 and defending champions Kibuli SS 28-24 in the quarter and semi finals.

Kabojja meanwhile fought hard against Crane High 33-32 and Lubiri SS (48-38) at the same stages. Kibuli SS won the girls' title for the first time with a close 20-18 victory over Crane High School.

Kibuli took an 8-1 first quarter advantage and although Crane retaliated with a 6-1 third quarter threat, it was too late.
2005 champion with Nabisunsa and eventual Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kassim Hatima made 13 points and Agatha Bafuna got 4 for Kibuli while Diana Nakimuli (10) and Nalisor Kantungeko (4) were the top scorers for Kitintale based Crane High.

The tournament was organised by the National School’s Basketball Association (Nasba)

Makerere University, Kampala International University (KIU) and Nkumba Marines are fighting for basketball supremacy in the inaugural utl Invitational University Games that started earlier this month.
Makerere and KIU have already spit fire after securing wins in their opening encounters over Makerere University Business School (MUBS) and Kampala University (KU) respectively.

Makerere stars David Kiberu, Rogers Serunyigo, Mande Jurani and Ben Komaketch had no respect for their business wing (MUBS) whom they stamped 50-40 two weeks ago.

Their women counter-parts the Sparks demolished MUBS by 82-14 courtesy of Olivia Mulwana, Linda Tamale and Vicky Nassolo.
Makerere's main obstacle lies in money spenders KIU. KIU comprise highly rated stars like Isaac Afridra and Emma Baguma who have ruled the Ugandan court for sometime.

The other basketball giants to watch are Nkumba Marines that are yet to start their bid for the utl cash but are certain of emerging from their pool that has KIU, Kyambogo and Kampala University. The Marines expect reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) to boost their challenge.

"Norman is coming back soon and I think I have already one hand on this Utl money," said Marines manager Patrick Ssebuliba. The games resume tomorrow with Kyambogo hosting Kampala University.

Hello here are the results of 14th may 2006 Premier and Divisional one results at Nyayo Basketball Gymnasium in Nairobi,Kenya.They were only 3 league matches in Nairobi.

1.Java Warriors 63/29 Vs JKUAT 46/26 (Division 1)
Quaters 20/09/18/16 13/13/10/10
Anthony Mburi 10pts Rogers Mutahi 11pts
Felix Ocheing 08pts Alexander Olaba 15pts

2.U.O.N. Dynamites 55/28 Vs JKUAT 65/30 (Women Premier)
Quaters 15/13/16/11 11/19/13/22
Irene Atieno 21pts Monica Odhiambo 23pts
Sylvia Chebet 11pts Maureen Andalia 19pts

3.Ulinzi Warriors 88/45 Vs USIU Tigers 77/46
Quaters 22/23/16/27 17/29/10/21
Victor Odendo 26pts Abel Nson 32pts
Richard Osano 24pts Dan Okwiri 16pts
Vincent Ambani 11pts Yoni Wanarimbo 16pts

Abel Nson of USIU made 7 three pointers in the game and the total number of 3pointers made in the whole game(both teams)is 25 three pointers which totals to 75pts of the 165pts made with Ulinzi and USIU.USIU closed the range with 2mins.34secs to go with scores 65-68 then Odendo took 2 three pointers and Ulinzi went upto 65-74.With 1.44secs to go Ulinzi had built a margin of 16pts and Tigers worked hard to reduced it to 11pts at the end of the game.That is the first lose to USIU Tigers and Ulinzi unbeaten continues.There will be a break coming weekend till 27th May 2006 becoz of the Iner-Cities Basketball championships in Kampala,Uganda starting on 17th May to 22nd May 2006.Thank you.

Its Juma Kent.

Story by CAXTON APOLLO


Regional basketball club champions Kenya Commercial Bank Lions yesterday mauled Nakuru Club 104-62 in a high scoring Premier League first leg tie at the Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi.
Lions, who retained the East, Central and Southern Africa championship in Nairobi, had a shaky start as visiting Nakuru took advantage to lead 21-19 in the first quarter. Lions roared strongly to race to a 23-19 second quarter lead. Nakuru remained impressive as Lions led 42-40 at half-time. Lions took control in the third and fourth winning30-16 and 32-6 respectively. Greg Odera shot 22 points and Ikapian Juma,16, for Lions. Edgar Kadima provided 10 and Edward Owino, 18, for Nakuru .

Caroline Achieng scored 23 points while Ruth Wasike hit 13 as Yana Club fought from behind to beat experienced Telkom 72-50 in the only women's match of the day. Milka Odhiambo, Pamela Ikonga and Emily Chepchumba had given Telkom a comfortable 15-7 first quarter lead. Yana failed to recover as they trailed 35-26 at the breather.

In the only men's Division One league tie, Telkom beat Nairobi Pentecostal Church 73-63 after leading 39-30 at half-time. Solomon Ochieng scored 21 points David Maina (15) and Maxwel Kaunda (11) for Telkom. Radhi Ndalu shot 18 and Marvin Ocholla ,11, for NPC.

Aloysius Byamukama
Kampala

Today
Men
Flippers vs Berkeley SS
UCU vs Vegetarians
KCC Lions vs FPAU
Rhino vs Hawks
Marines vs Miracle
Women
KIU Rangers vs MUK Cubs

DEFENDING men champions Nkumba University Marines return to MTN Basketball League action today against Miracle.

The Entebbe based side was given a cruel welcome from the regional club championships with a 82-66 defeat at the hands of Kampala International University last weekend and will be aiming for a win to make amends. The fine form of Carlo Bisereko, Paul Mwaka and Boniface Okello should help them win again.
However, Miracle veteran player Chris Kyabambe has warned that his side is rejuvenated and unafraid of anyone.

"The Miracle Eagles squad of younger players is ready to challenge for the league title this 2006 season and we can't look back. Any opponent should stand warned," he said.

Charging Rhino face visiting Gulu Hawks in the other Yello Max conference game
Kampala International University (KIU) Rangers and Makerere Cubs meet in the only women's game of the day.

ROCK High and St Joseph's College, Layibi were yesterday banned from the national schools championship by the National Schools Basketball Association (NASBA) technical committee.

Rock High from Tororo and Layibi from Gulu were handed a two-year ban each for allegedly fielding ineligible players in the on-going national championship at Ndejje SS.

Layibi registered Albert Echewu a student of Duhaga SS, while Rock High was found to have used Samuel Omojang a student and player of Jinja College in their victory against Nyakasura.

"NASBA cautioned schools about registering illegal players during this event. So both teams will not take part in any school basketball activities for the next two years," NASBA technical chairman Edmund Lumu said.

Meanwhile, King's College Budo recovered from a 29-20 loss to Bugema Adventist on day one of the championships with a morale boosting 38-22 victory over Jinja SS.

Ndejje SS girls did not disappoint the home crowd, recording a 34-12 win over Mengo before coming from behind to win their second game of the day, a narrow 15-14 victory over Manjasi High on the third day.

Boys

Budo 38 Jinja SS 22
Lubiri High 47 Mwiri 41
Eagles Nest 46 Gulu 18
SMACK 21 Nyakasura 19
Kabojja 43 Butiki 23
Kitende 31 Kyegobe 15
Lubiri SS 45 JICO 42

Girls

Ndejje 34 Mengo 12
Jinja SS 17 Migadde 16
Ndejje 15 Manjasi 14

One of Flames' inspirational point guards Nya Gbaintor seems to be recovering rapidly as evidenced by his splendid performance in the ongoing University Games at the Sports Commission.

The young and promising basketballer was seen at his best on Tuesday when he made debut for his Don Bosco Polytechnic, where he hit the highest score for side despite their defeat by AME University.

Nya scored over 20 points in his debut match.

Nya got a knee injury at the start of the season and missed most of the club's championship league matches.

The player's major role in his college game on Tuesday could be seen as good news for first division basketball club Flames, as they prepare for the knock out competition.