26 November 2011
UGANDA : UCU-Warriors: Win or burst in reverse roles
At the same stage last year, UCU Canons were fighting to stay alive in the MTN-Fuba League best-of-five semifinal playoff series against Warriors.
UCU, 64-61 winners of Game One then, had plummeted to lose the next two 66-70 and 49-96.
Game Four was make or break. The university side came out triumphant 74-68 to force a decider. The roles have been reversed for today’s repeat of that clash at YMCA court. UCU lead Warriors 2-1 and the latter have been out of depth, especially in the two defeats.
Warriors’ coach Mandy Juruni would love to say the same things UCU coach Nick Natuhereza said prior to Game Four. “I told my players to keep believing,” Natuhereza said almost 12 months ago.
After the 78-66 loss in Game Three on Wednesday, Warriors stayed in the late night YMCA cold for an autopsy. Belief and reminding the players about how good they are were the big themes in the huddle.
UCU, 64-61 winners of Game One then, had plummeted to lose the next two 66-70 and 49-96.
Game Four was make or break. The university side came out triumphant 74-68 to force a decider. The roles have been reversed for today’s repeat of that clash at YMCA court. UCU lead Warriors 2-1 and the latter have been out of depth, especially in the two defeats.
Warriors’ coach Mandy Juruni would love to say the same things UCU coach Nick Natuhereza said prior to Game Four. “I told my players to keep believing,” Natuhereza said almost 12 months ago.
After the 78-66 loss in Game Three on Wednesday, Warriors stayed in the late night YMCA cold for an autopsy. Belief and reminding the players about how good they are were the big themes in the huddle.
This is the point where UCU have so often tripped. They have never reached the finals despite three semifinal appearances in the past four years. Guard Ivan Enabu, a Canon for six years before joining Warriors this year, knows how it feels to hinge a season on one result.
“It’s a tight situation. Even after being here so many times, the challenge is not any easier,” Enabu said. “I support the UCU ladies (already in the final) and Warriors now.”
His game has suffered due to the brutal physicality of his former side. Enabu has scored 30 points and seven assists in three games.
Ronnie Kasewu, the 2009 MVP, is also having a quiet series and this could be his last chance to explode. Even if Juruni thinks his guards are not creating plays, it’s the dominance of UCU’s big men trident of Jachin Wettstone, Desmond Owili and Robert Ogweno that should worry him most. UCU out-rebounded Warriors 70-36 in Game One, were edged out 21-33 thereafter but returned to their best to dominate 49-36 on Wednesday night.
Luckily for Warriors, UCU’s Wettstone, Ogweno and Sande Okot continue to invite foul trouble - something that has gone unpunished by Warriors.
Somehow, Enabu and Henry Malinga have been dragged there too.
# posted by afrbk : 15:01
