23 April 2013
UGANDA : Uncertainty looming over Heaters future
Warriors guard Ivan Enabu elevates to the bucket against hapless Miracle in a very one-sided contest. photo by ISMAIL KEZAALA
By Ismail Dhakaba Kigongo
Posted Tuesday, April 23 2013 at 01:00
Posted Tuesday, April 23 2013 at 01:00
In Summary
Miracle have lost almost everyone with Andrew Opio, Mohammed Yusuf (both City Oilers), Donald Ssali (Warriors) and Ivan Rumanyika (yet to find a team) all leaving.
From Youth Heaters to Heaters to Proline Heaters to Victoria University Heaters, naming a team has never been that hard for Heaters whenever new owners sought.
Now, there’s uncertainty over existence of Heaters though they are penciled in among the fixtures of this year’s National Basketball League.
On Sunday, their game against Ndejje University Angels didn’t tip off to nearly confirm many people’s fears that the club has folded, just months after making the playoffs for the first time. “They wrote to the competitions committee last week and requested to be given two weeks to put their team in order,” basketball body president Ambrose Tashobya allayed the fears. Derrick Mbusi (DMark Power) and Andrew Okot (Warriors) moved on.
Others can neither confirm nor deny whether they are still part of Heaters. The erstwhile club chairman Denis Osikol has been away in the US since late last year. It’s almost inevitable that Heaters will at the very least get relegated or forfeit some fixtures. Their predicament should remind many of the dangers of ‘cosmetic’ growth the league has undergone in recent years. Meanwhile after making the playoffs twice in three years, Miracle Eagles looked like apprentices in their 94-26 mauling at the hands of champions Warriors.
Miracle have lost almost everyone with Andrew Opio, Mohammed Yusuf (both City Oilers), Donald Ssali (Warriors) and Ivan Rumanyika (yet to find a team) all leaving.
Barring a miracle of gigantic proportions, the relegation scrap awaits them. Ssali scored a game-high 20 and 12 points against his former team whereas Okot added 19 and eight to enjoy the feast on what is left of the caucus in an empty Lugogo MTN Arena.
Noel Hesbon contributed 16 points and 12 rebounds as the champions swept the boards 64-27 in an easy victory against the weakest of the four teams we have watched thus far. In the women’s league, Carol Nyafwono scored 35 points and 20 rebounds to lift Magic Stormers to a 127-57 win over Nabisunsa.
ikigongo@ug.nationmedia
Indeed they might need a stay of execution as most of their players left in the offseason.
# posted by afrbk : 17:54
