Basketball in Africa

By Usher Komugisha,

THE national basketball governing body Federation of Uganda Basketball Association has divided the national women's league into two in a bid to increase the level of competition.

In a league where the same four teams have made it to the semi-finals for four consecutive years, nothing else can explain the absence of rivalry and opposition with not much contest from the lowly teams.
Reigning league champions UCU Lady Canons, KCC Leopards, A-1 Challenge and KIU Rangers were semi-finalists from 2007-2010. It was only last season that the Magic Stormers ousted a struggling A-1 Challenge to go on and make their maiden appearance in the post season.
Speaking to journalists at a press conference at Oasis restaurant, Lugogo on Tuesday morning, FUBA president Ambrose Tashobya explained that, "We want to have a league where the winner is not pre-decided, a league where number one can lose to number eight."
UCU, KCC, A-1, KIU, Magic Stormers, Nabisunsa, Makerere Sparks and Gladiators (former Lady Bucks) are the teams that will feature in the top league while sides like Makerere Cubs and Amazon Rhino will play in the second division.
This will avoid instances where the 'big' sides like KCC practically whitewash the ordinary teams like Amazon Rhino. An outright example was in the 2009 season when the Leopards set a national record by thrashing Rhino 163-19 in a first round encounter.
Meanwhile, four universities have shown interest in introducing teams to the women's league. Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU)-Kampala campus, Gulu, Nkumba and Ndejje are yet to be admitted by the FUBA executive committee.