Basketball in Africa

TWO-TIME Most Valuable Player (MVP) Norman Blick, his brother Donald and prolific Carrol Bisereko are quitting 2006 National Basketball League champions Nkumba University Marines for newly promoted Kampala City Council (KCC) Lions.

"We are all free agents and will be joining KCC Lions. We have promoted the image of Nkumba but there is nothing we have gained. Its high time we moved on," Bisereko told Daily Monitor yesterday.

But Marines team manager Patrick Ssebuliba has vowed to hold onto his stars.

"I have heard it from you. No one from KCC has approached me about the transfers. The players have also not talked about it," Ssebuliba said.

"I don't think any club can afford paying transfer fees for those guys. One would have to give me a BMW to take Norman and a Mercedes Benz for Donald. Which club can afford such unless they break the bank?"

However Ssebuliba could be in for a big shock as the players have decided to leave on a free.

"We've been with Marines for more than three years. That means we are free agents and KCC won't have to pay any transfer fees," Bisereko noted.

There is a provision in the basketball governing body, Fuba rules, which allows players to move to other clubs after playing for two years.

KCC Lions Team Manager Joy Olinga said she had established contact with Ssebuliba.

"I hope to meet him soon and we finalise everything. We are looking at building a team that can challenge for honours and these are some of the players that can deliver at the top most level," she told Daily Monitor.

Marines, champions in 2005 and 2006 failed to make play-offs last season and may find it difficult dealing with topflight opposition this year if the three players leave.