19 June 2013
UGANDA : Friendly fire for Siamese hoops twins
Kampala- Ambrose Tashobya, the Warriors patron, was part of the pioneers of City Oilers. He helped them to successive promotions from Division Three to Two then the Airtel National Basketball League.
Mandy Juruni, the Oilers’ coach, was at Warriors last season. Besides coaching Warriors, Juruni played for Oilers at the same time. The two teams are like Siamese twins. Cut largely from the same cloth. But their clash at YMCA court has a lot to lose and again.
Warriors, the reigning champions, are yet to hit the ground running. Oilers struggled offensively in their 47-52 loss to UCU Canons last Friday. Much of that was tied to the absence of Ramadhan Arou though it also had a lot do with the reliance on Kami Kabange whose 15 points and 12 rebounds proved insufficient. “We really missed Arou both on offense and defence,” Juruni admitted. Arou has been Oilers’ biggest offensive weapon thus far. The final periphery painted a rosier picture that what they were on the floor.
They even tied the game at 47-up with 1.45seconds to play. Only UCU scored after that – all the next five points coming from free throws.
With Jimmy Enabu, seven points, making only three of 10 from the foul line, the window was shut in their faces. “We still could have won the game on the line but we handed the game to them,” Juruni concluded.
Kasewu injury
It’s perhaps worse for Warriors who have already lost to the pacesetters UCU. While in Kigali for the Genocide Memorial tournament, guard Ronnie Kasewu got injured. Their talismanic captain, a two-time league champion and MVP four years ago, will not feature after a leg muscle strain.
Coach Sam Samanya must now rely heavily on Ivan Enabu and Jude Ochen in the back court not only to facilitate the team but also score the bulk of the points. It’s perhaps worse for Warriors who have already lost to the pacesetters UCU. While in Kigali for the Genocide Memorial tournament, guard Ronnie Kasewu got injured. Their talismanic captain, a two-time league champion and MVP four years ago, will not feature after a leg muscle strain.
“Every game has helped us figure out something and we are slowly getting there,” Enabu said. If he gets his big men into rhythm early, Henry Malinga and Sam Gombya have the game to trouble the Oilers. The bigger worry is that Malinga is not getting younger and the Oilers’ front court is more athletic than Warriors’. Whatever the result, both teams won’t sob too much as they are almost intertwined.
TODAY AT YMCA
MEN: W’riors vs. City Oilers (8.30pm)
W: Gladiators vs. Stormers (6.30pm)
MEN: W’riors vs. City Oilers (8.30pm)
W: Gladiators vs. Stormers (6.30pm)
# posted by afrbk : 16:20
