05 October 2012

UGANDA : Contrasting league fortunes for UCU

Contrasting league fortunes for UCU
Okello (with ball) aims for the basket as Falcons’ Steven Mwesige tries to block him in a recent game. Okello’s UCU Canons play Warriors today. Photo by Ismail Kezaala

In a span of four hours today at YMCA court, Boniface Okello’s emotions will swing from one end to another.
Since moving to Mukono in the off-season from champions DMark Power, 2006 MVP Okello has had to deal with two distinct realities.
He coaches such a dominant UCU Lady Canons who win games by just ‘showing up’. He also plays for – UCU Canons – for whom ‘nearly men’ can easily be the perfect middle name.
Okello is part of it all. UCU ladies welcome back Lorraine Akinyi for their game against rivals KCCA Leopards in the Airtel National Basketball League. They are chasing a perfect record having won 21 in a row since the start of the year and looking impregnable enroute to a third successive title and fourth in five years.
“This team has played very well and hope we can finish the job,” Okello, speaking as a coach, said.
UCU’s 51-46 win over KCCA, the same team they swept 4-0 in last year’s finals, is the closest anyone has come to beating them this season.
This may not be the most ideal of times for Timothy Odeke to revenge as they are just fresh from averting a strike over unpaid allowances.
In fact, Martha Soigi, their best rebounder, has not played in months now with reports indicating that the interest waned though she refuses to speak openly.
Thereafter, Okello, a forward, will camouflage from street clothes to a jersey and sneakers as UCU seek a flourish ahead of the playoffs against log leaders Warriors.
UCU are condemned to fifth as their 14-7 record can only improve by one game, insufficient to leapfrog KIU Titans (15-5). “It’s an important game to gauge where we are before the playoffs,” said UCU coach Nicholas Natuhereza.
“Our consistency both in training and games is the problem.” Kenyans Robert Ogweno and Martin Okwako only returned to the side this week following holiday breaks. Warriors were in a 10-point hole in the first clash until Cyrus Kiviri broke loose to shoot freely for a game-high 25 points and 78-64 victory. UCU-Warriors has been a highlight of two of the last three playoff semifinals with the latter prevailing 3-2 on both occasions.
ikigongo@ug.nationmedia.com

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