Basketball in Africa

Miracle Eagle 51-63 Nkumba Marines

Brian Sivachi scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Nkumba Marines to a 63-51 win over Miracle Eagles on Wednesday night at YMCA. Wilson Otweyo and Wynard Kigobe added 12 points apiece as Marines overcame a poor second quarter for their third win of the season.

Eagles tied the highest points (51) scored this season. “We had come to win this game but we were just unlucky” Eagles coach, Richard Nduga told Kawowo Sports. Eagles (0-9) scored 51 points in the loss to Charging Rhinos and with Heaters and Vegetarian next on their schedule, Nduga believes these are games his team should be winning. “I think these (Rhinos, Marines, Heaters and Vegetarian) are beatable teams and we should be winning such games” he said.

Anthony Kibalama scored game high 20 points including a corner 3-pointer that tied the game at 25 with 9:41 in the third quarter before Marines (3-7) responded with a 10-0 run off 4 forced turnovers to pull away. “The guys’ attitudes are not fine and some are casual players” Nduga observes.

Eagles were careless with the ball, which has been the order of their season committing 23 Turnovers mostly unforced ranging from poor passing to individual poor ball handling. “We train once a week and so guys don’t understand each other but it will change in the second round” a hopeful Nduga told Kawowo Sports.

In the women’s division KCCA Leopards blew-out MUK Sparks 77-23. Claire Lamunu poured in season high 25 points and picked 9 rebounds to lead the way for Leopards (10-0). The forward is averaging 16 points and 7.7 boards. Jackie Basemera added 14 points, Flavia Oketcho chipped in with 10 points and Hilda Naigaga had 10. Treasure Nababuza led Sparks (2-7) with 10 points and Maggie Ashaba added 5 points.