Basketball in Africa

Two-time Airtel National Basketball League defending champions DMark Power will treat Falcons as old sheriff returning to town.

The latter have won 14 on the bounce to lead the log at 18-2. The two most successful sides in the game clash at YMCA court today though both are quick to denounce the significance of the result.

“We are not losing tomorrow but either way, you are supposed to face every team,” Power coach Bernice Ankunda said.

“The most important thing is that I am pleased with the progress so far,” Falcons’ Stephen Omony, coming off 18 and 10 rebounds in the 69-58 win over Warriors last Friday, said.

Falcons’ 78-66 first round win over Power ranks high among their best performances this season. Ankunda differs completely. “That game was close, we lost it in the final minute,” he said. He is indeed not far away from the truth as they trailed by two (61-63) with 3.16 to play back then.

They were out-thought down the stretch as their transitional game collapsed. Such is the depth of the roster that Omony scored all his 15 points in the first two quarters.Guard Julius Lutwama sunk a game-high 17 points and Peter Elungat had 11. Lutwama and Elungat were near-passengers, as was Abdullahi Ramdadhan, against Warriors. It didn’t affect the six-time champions too much. Ankunda may not have the same luxury as his team, hoping to match Falcons’ success of winning three titles in three years (2002-04), is literary stumbling into the playoffs at 15-5.