Basketball in Africa

By Sande A. Bashaija
Wandegeya

FANS who had turned up for the Nkumba Marines, Charging Rhino MTN league game Wednesday evening left the YMCA Wandegeya courts disappointed after the game could not go on due to load shedding.

It was meant to start at 7:30pm but power went off 10 minutes earlier.

Both teams had dressed and warmed up and were only waiting for floodlights to be switched on but were later informed by Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) official Imelda Nyongesa that the game could not be played.

Marines protested saying they could not waste more transport to come back for the same game and requested that the Rhinos travel to Nkumba on a later date. Rhino players also argued that they could not raise transport and decided to forfeit the game and Marines be awarded two points.

Rhino are out of play-offs while Marines have already qualified and can take second place if awarded the two points.

FUBA organising secretary Edmund Lumu though said the game has to be played at all costs because the result affects table standings and teams gunning for play-offs.

It was the second time for the game to be aborted after it was abandoned halfway on August 27 due to a heavy downpour and darkness.

Action in the MTN sponsored league resumes tomorrow at the YMCA courts in Wandegeya.

Results

Lubiri 57 KCC Lions 58
Kabojja 61 FPAU 39