Basketball in Africa

by Sande Bashaija
Kampala

Tomorrow
Men
Riders v UCU Canons 5pm
KIU v D Mark Power 8.30pm
Women
KCC Leopards v Rangers 7pm

Miracle Eagles have beefed up their technical bench by bringing on board former DMark Power coach Barnes Ankunda.

The former Nkumba Marines guard started work with the Rubaga side on Tuesday after developing misunderstandings with reigning champions Power. “I got fed up with Power after management started telling me who to field in particular games,” Ankunda, a championship winner with Marines as a player, told Daily Monitor yesterday. “I am now here (at Miracle), looking forward to a fresh challenge.”

As an assistant coach to Andrew Baziira, Barnes was credited for stablising the Power ship throughout last season in which the team lost their legend Wilbrod Okecho to bullet wounds. When Baziira left at the beginning of this season, Ankunda took over as Power head coach.

“People overlook Barnes but he has done a good job. Players do respect what he does and all credit to him,” the then Power captain Isaac Afidra told Daily Monitor shortly before last season’s play-offs.

Disgruntled that Power technical director Peter Mubanda interfered in his work, Ankunda wants to transform Miracle and prove to everyone that he is a technically gifted coach. “I know they (Miracle) have had a bad start to the season but I am ready to change everything. Playing defence is their biggest problem but I will fix it and make sure the team makes the play-offs,” he promised.

Mubanda, who has since appointed Brian Wathum as Power head coach, said Ankunda walked out on the team. “We have a technical team which makes suggestions to the coach and that was the situation with Barnes,” he said.
Ankunda takes over from Sam Obol, who is being pestered to play having signed a coach-player contract.