Basketball in Africa

by Sande Bashaija
Wandegeya

Today at YMCA (Game One)
Saturday
Heaters v St Michael 3pm
A-1 Challenge v Canons 4pm
Falcons v Warriors 6pm

If Warriors are to make a maiden appearance in the MTN-Fuba League finals, they must leave no room for error when they engage record champions Falcons at YMCA today in Game One of the best-of-five semi-final play-off series.

Warriors remain one of Uganda’s best sides but have nothing to show for their vast talent. The Kyambogo-based team broke their fans’ hearts in 2007 when they surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose the best of five semi finals 2-3 to Falcons. “It was a learning experience and we now know what to do,” Warriors assistant coach Peter Wandukwa remarked even as his team failed to edge DMark Power to the regular season championship. “We won’t commit the same cheap errors because the boys are now more experienced.”

The foreign pair of Tanzanian Abdullahi Ramadhan and Kenyan Martin Okwako has added to Warriors’ avalanche of skill but they still looked vulnerable in that 74-81 loss to Power last week.

Henry Malinga, who has been out for over a month with injury and Francis Tumusime (family problems) are returning for Falcons, which gives them the much-needed depth. “We want to take it a game at a time and see what happens. Warriors are an equally decent side and am sure fans will enjoy our clashes,” Falcons patron John Ssimbwa stressed.

With Falcons’ Shs72million signing Stephen Omony coming head to head with Ramadhan, a man he ‘enjoyed’ playing against in Seychelles, neutrals should brace themselves for intriguing battles.

In the women’s category Lady Canons will be minus their high-scoring Frances Nabulobi who is out injured as they face A-1 Challenge.