Basketball in Africa

Tomorrow at YMCA
Warriors v Power (7pm)
Power lead series 3-2

Bernice Nkunda might have to get rid of his relatively quiet persona if DMark Power are to regain the MTN-Fuba League title they lost to Kyambogo Warriors last year. That sour 4-1 loss in the best-of-seven finals 12 months ago has faded even though Warriors seem to be making progress in their bid to retain the trophy.

Sunday night’s 85-81 victory for Warriors confirmed lingering doubts about Power’s mettle with the former trimming the deficit to 2-3 after looking just one defeat away from surrendering.

Nkunda is starting to understand that momentum is slipping away. “Excitement had taken over because we have come so close to the winning the championship,” the soft-spoken coach told Daily Monitor.

Malinga brothers
He must look at the impetus behind Warriors’ resurgence. Over the past two games, the Malinga brothers, Eric and Henry, have dominated the paint at the expense of Robert Mubiru and Robert Wanitho. “That’s an important element which we must sort out in training,” Nkunda said before speaking with biblical certainty that his team “will win on Wednesday).”

His master plan has got to evade Warriors coach Gad Eteu as both teams have connived to bar their players from speaking to the media in a collective effort to stay focused for different reasons. “I don’t think we have done the hard part yet. Our plan was to create as many opportunities for the big men,” Eteu said prior to last evening training session.

Outstanding Kasewu
In addition, there is a resurrection of reigning MVP Ronnie Kasewu, who has scored 44 points in the past two games and picked 16 rebounds to greatly aid the mercurial Abdullahi Ramadhan.

“Now we need to avoid unnecessary pressure to complete the task at hand,” he added. His direct opposite underlines the need to heap more responsibility on his most versatile players; point guard Ben Komakech and forward Isaac Afidra. “Isaac and Ben can carry us in such situations,” Nkunda noted.