20 November 2007
UGANDA : Momentum with Falcons
By SANDE BASHAIJA
As team manager Ssimbwa predicts 3-2 triumph in final
LUGOGO
Results
Falcons 81-78 Warriors
KCC Lions 60-61 Crane High
A-1 Challenge 47-51 KCC
Leopards
Wednesday
- KCC Lions v Crane High
5pm
- A-1 Challenge v KCC Leopards
7pm
- Mogas Falcons v Warriors
8:30pm
MOGAS Falcons team manager John Ssimbwa is convinced his team will go the distance and outlast Kyambogo Warriors 3-2 in the best of five final series to win this year’s championship.
The five-time champions saw off battle-hardened Warriors 81-78 in Game Three of the MTN-Fuba League finals at Lugogo Indoor Stadium on Sunday night, but still trail the series 2-1. “This is the real Falcons. I like being in such a situation.
Playing under such pressure is what we enjoy most because it brings the best out of the team,” an overjoyed Ssimbwa told Daily Monitor after the slim victory. The two sides meet again tomorrow night at Lugogo in Game Four and should Warriors nip victory it will be allover for Falcons.
But Ssimbwa believes they are going to push Warriors to the decisive Game Five on Friday. And his words cannot be taken lightly because Falcons have done it before.
In 2002, they lost the first two games of the series but edged holders Sky Jammers 3-2 to the championship.
But going by the proceedings in Game Three, the series now looks unpredictable.
The game couldn’t get any tighter from start until the final minute of the last session, when Falcons called on experience to hold on to their 24-20 first quarter lead that proved vital in deciding the final result.
The second session ended level 21-21 but Warriors took the third 16-15 while the last was 21-all. With 47 seconds left on the clock and Falcons up 75-74, Henry Malinga, who finished with a team high 21 points including three-point plays, got a foul basket but missed on the line to make it 77-74.
Warriors’ skipper Brian Gumisiriza (15) then fluffed an easy chance before Walter Alenyo broke clear and was fouled to add one more point for Falcons on the charity line.
Francis Tumusiime then added three more points on the line after fouls on Diego Angemi and Albert Aciku respectively. Ronnie Kasewu (21) and Stephen Okias (20) pulled back four points for the Warriors.
The last second was even more dramatic; Kasewu hit the rim from the Warriors half and nearly sent the game into overtime. It was too late though. Women title favourites KCC Leopards, spurred on by Juliet Sabano’s 17 poionts outclassed A-1 Challenge 50-47 while Phillip Wakimwero plundered a game high 36 points as Second Division giants Crane High edged KCC Lions 61-60.
Warriors, KCC Leopards and Crane now lead the series 2-1 and can wrap up things on Wednesday.
As team manager Ssimbwa predicts 3-2 triumph in final
LUGOGO
Results
Falcons 81-78 Warriors
KCC Lions 60-61 Crane High
A-1 Challenge 47-51 KCC
Leopards
Wednesday
- KCC Lions v Crane High
5pm
- A-1 Challenge v KCC Leopards
7pm
- Mogas Falcons v Warriors
8:30pm
MOGAS Falcons team manager John Ssimbwa is convinced his team will go the distance and outlast Kyambogo Warriors 3-2 in the best of five final series to win this year’s championship.
The five-time champions saw off battle-hardened Warriors 81-78 in Game Three of the MTN-Fuba League finals at Lugogo Indoor Stadium on Sunday night, but still trail the series 2-1. “This is the real Falcons. I like being in such a situation.
Playing under such pressure is what we enjoy most because it brings the best out of the team,” an overjoyed Ssimbwa told Daily Monitor after the slim victory. The two sides meet again tomorrow night at Lugogo in Game Four and should Warriors nip victory it will be allover for Falcons.
But Ssimbwa believes they are going to push Warriors to the decisive Game Five on Friday. And his words cannot be taken lightly because Falcons have done it before.
In 2002, they lost the first two games of the series but edged holders Sky Jammers 3-2 to the championship.
But going by the proceedings in Game Three, the series now looks unpredictable.
The game couldn’t get any tighter from start until the final minute of the last session, when Falcons called on experience to hold on to their 24-20 first quarter lead that proved vital in deciding the final result.
The second session ended level 21-21 but Warriors took the third 16-15 while the last was 21-all. With 47 seconds left on the clock and Falcons up 75-74, Henry Malinga, who finished with a team high 21 points including three-point plays, got a foul basket but missed on the line to make it 77-74.
Warriors’ skipper Brian Gumisiriza (15) then fluffed an easy chance before Walter Alenyo broke clear and was fouled to add one more point for Falcons on the charity line.
Francis Tumusiime then added three more points on the line after fouls on Diego Angemi and Albert Aciku respectively. Ronnie Kasewu (21) and Stephen Okias (20) pulled back four points for the Warriors.
The last second was even more dramatic; Kasewu hit the rim from the Warriors half and nearly sent the game into overtime. It was too late though. Women title favourites KCC Leopards, spurred on by Juliet Sabano’s 17 poionts outclassed A-1 Challenge 50-47 while Phillip Wakimwero plundered a game high 36 points as Second Division giants Crane High edged KCC Lions 61-60.
Warriors, KCC Leopards and Crane now lead the series 2-1 and can wrap up things on Wednesday.
# posted by afrbk : 12:11
