Basketball in Africa

Saturday result
Power 83-71 Warriors
(Power clinch series 4-3)

Former NBA star Manute Bol and Wilbrod Okecho could be gone but DMark Power retain the same winning tradition. The two legends brought the club it’s first two titles with their dominance of the paint. Sudanese-born Bol died of acute kidney failure five months ago while Okecho succumbed to gunshot wounds in 2008. And it’s easy to guess that they remain an inspiration.

“Bol was very assertive when he wanted something unlike Oks who could bend once in a while,” Power official Elliot Bagenda, who played with both, told Daily Monitor. “To be in the same team with them, it demanded a lot of fitness and competitive spirit at a time when basketball was not as big as now.” Power have since transformed from not dominating the inside to becoming the fastest team in transition.

On Saturday evening, another Power class eked their names in the club’s history by winning a fourth title since 1995. Of all their previous conquests, this was perhaps the hardest.

Despite taking a 3-0 lead over Kyambogo Warriors in the best-of-seven MTN-Fuba League final series, Power almost surrendered the crown. One victory away from the title, Lugogo Indooor Stadium was closed due to a horrible playing surface. The fear of losing momentum quickly crept in as the contest moved to YMCA court, Wandegeya.