Basketball in Africa

SANDE BASHAIJA WANDEGEYA

Results
Crane High 58-41 Bushcourt
Amazon 40-62 Nabisunsa
Lakers 25-82 Lady Bucks
Ndejje 49-24 Bugema
St Michael 20-00 Sharing
Nkumba 77-76 KIU

NATIONAL Basketball League defending champions Nkumba University Marines beat Kampala International University (KIU) 77-76 at the YMCA Wandegeya court on Sunday to revive their hopes of making the play-offs.

Marines are now fifth on the 10-team table with 18 points and a win against Sadolin Power on Friday could see them go third behind UCU Canons and Warriors. Only four teams make the semi-final play-offs.

Emma Shikuku (13) jumbled the Marines defence, drawing them into early foul trouble, though the champions closed the gap and were only trailing by four points (16-11) at the end of first quarter despite a poor start.

Marines won the two consequent sessions 26-20 and 21-20. With two minutes left, KIU were up 73-71 but lost possession twice on fast breaks and had themselves to blame for missing 15 free throws in the last quarter, including two by Henry Mwinuki with only 17 seconds left.