Basketball in Africa

The 4-1 series defeat to Warriors in last season’s MTN-Fuba League finals has prompted a shake-up in DMark Power’s technical department.
And predictably, head coach Andrew Bazira has paid the price for that huge loss to Kyambogo Warriors.

Bazira has been asked to step aside and will be replaced by a foreign coach, according to club technical director Peter Mubanda. “Honestly, Bazira’s performance in the championship final wasn’t good enough,” Mubanda revealed yesterday. “It was clear that after such a performance some changes were needed in the team.”

With Bazira in charge, Power won their third championship in 2008 and had a good regular season last year, losing only one game.
They convincingly defeated Kampala International University (KIU) 3-1 in the best-of-five semi-final series but found Warriors a very hard nut to crack despite winning the opening game of the finals.

New coach
Champions Warriors and record winners Falcons are looking to strengthen their sides with new signings and Mubanda reckons there is need to re-organise. “We are unveiling a new coach soon but he won’t be from Uganda. We are also bringing on board other sponsors,” he said. “Bazira remains a member of Power but will be moved to another department.”

Mubanda, who once coached Power, also revealed that the club would sign at least four players going into the new season starting March. “We might have to off-load some of our old players to create space,” he said. “But it will be the new coach to decide who leaves.”