Basketball in Africa

The Fuba technical committee have paired three potential slam dunk champions on the same team for today’s Sprite All-Star gala at YMCA Court. Joseph Ikong, champion of the dunking contest two years ago before being dethroned by Alex Mugoya, Richard Omondi and Desmond Owili are all on the team branded as Coca-cola.

Omondi, a 7UP Falcons star, thrilled many when And1, an American StreetBall team of entertainers, visited earlier this year, whereas UCU Canons’ Owili completes the puzzle. However, the other team, Sprite, looks stronger on paper with the Kyambogo Warriors’ triad of Ronnie Kasewu, Ivan Enabu and MVP contender Eric Malinga.

This team, coached by Nkumba Marines’ Timothy Odeke and Warriors Mandy Juruni, also has the Falcons’ duo of Abdullahi Ramadhan Philip Alweny plus Stephen Omony of Miracle Eagles. Today’s annual All-Star event starting at 5pm pits the cream of the league against each other to mark the mid-season break before the second round starts on August 26.

Before that clash, there is a women’s game in which KCC Leopards’ Flavia Oketcho will team up with former Lady Canons teammates Lorraine Akinyi and Maureen Amoding. There will be a dunking, three-point and free-throw shooting contests.