14 December 2008

UGANDA : Lady Canons lift MTN hoops title

by Sande Bashaija
Kampala

RESULTS

Knight Riders 74-61 Ndejje
Lady Canons 59-55 A-1
Leopards 53-52 Rangers
PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS
1998 Lady Bucks
1999 Lady Bucks
2000 Lady Bucks
2001 Lady Bucks
2002 Lady Bucks
2003 Makerere Sparks
2004 Lady Bucks
2005 A-1 Challenge
2006 Lady Bucks
2007 KCC Leopards
2008 Lady Canons

Uganda Christian University (UCU) Lady Canons are the 2008 MTN-Fuba League women champions.
The university side rallied from a seven-point third quarter deficit to beat A-1 Challenge 59-55 in the decisive game five at Lugogo Indoor Stadium on Friday night, winning the series 3-2.

“I didn’t look at the scoreboard for a single moment because I knew we were winning. I just concentrated on the job at hand,” Lady Canons’ playmaker Flavia Oketcho, said after bagging her third career championship.

The former Lady Bucks star and 2006 Most Valuable Player, scored 10 points but it was Celia Asila that wrestled the championship from A-1 Challenge’s hands.

The first quarter ended 14-all but A-1 Challenge had a two-point advantage (29-27) going into recess. The 2005 champions outscored Lady Canons 17-12 in the third session, giving their fans all reasons to celebrate.

But Robert Mugabe’s UCU had a big surprise up in their sleeves. Asila (19 points) hit double three-pointers inside the first two minutes of the fourth quarter to bring Lady Canons within one point (45-46) before leveling the game from the charity line.

Frances Nabulobi (10), then found her way to the free throw line, converting one of two free throws as Lady Canons went ahead 47-46. For the third year running, A-1 Challenge had to settle for second best as Lady Canons celebrated their maiden trophy.
“Wow, this is our second season in the league and we are champions. This is just the beginning for the team. We are going to win many more championships,” Nabulobi, the three-time league top scorer and favourite for the Most Valuable Player accolade said.

Betty Namukasa top scored for A-1 Challenge with 16 points while Kassim Hatima added seven. Earlier, Knight Riders had overrun Ndejje University 74-61 to win the men’s Second Division championship.

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