The old students, most of whom featured for the school’s basketball team, held a tournament to launch the drive in Fort Portal early this month. The tournament was held on the existing marrum court although players struggled to deal with the surface, which gradually became slippery as the event progressed into the latter stages. Despite the challenging surface, Elvis Okello fought against all odds to emerge top scorer in the boy’s category. Samuel Kalwanyi was the other outstanding performer.                

Doreen Bonabana and Rebecca Mpumwirwe stood out in the girls’ category. During the tournament, graced by the school’s Parents Teacher Association (PTA) chairperson Rhoda Kemigisa and head teacher Frank Manyindo, 30 bags of cement were raised to kick off construction of the two basketball courts.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

            

Unlike during the regular season when they split their two games, Juruni is getting a lot more contributions from the peripheral players especially forward Ramadhan Arou and Daniel ‘Najja’ Juuko.

Power didn’t have the weapons to limit Oilers but Falcons will. It’s fairly balanced among the guards even if the latter’s pair of Abdullahi Ramadhan and Geoff Omondi are more experienced. Coach Gad Eteu’s inside players – Philip Ameny, Peter Elungat, Herbert ‘Shaq’ Akhitah, Serge Kabangu and Stephen Omony – are expected to challenge Kabange and Arou more than any other team.

Omony’s 78 points in semifinals also signify a return to the player many last saw in the early 2000s before he turned pro in Seychelles.

Falcons want this badly having taken a tough path in beating second seed UCU Canons in the quarters and dethroning Warriors at the semis.

What a story it will be if Oilers win the national title, two years after they entered the league at the bottom in Division Three.

The latter’s absence following the death of her mother contributed greatly to UCU losing last year. Odhiambo has bullied Lamunu thrice already on both ends of the floor and expect her to be as smart as ever. ADVANTAGE UCU

Amoding vs. Oketcho
Together, Maureen Amoding and Flavia Oketcho start for the national women’s team on the backcourt and share two of the last three MVP titles.

Oketcho is slightly smarter with the ball whereas Amoding prefers to take the scoring burden. Both coaches will be smart enough to keep them apart for as long as possible but they will clash in phases. EVEN

Akullo factor
Becky Akullo’s return to the KCCA roster changes the dimensions entirely as she is a reliable scoring option who bagged 20 points to sweep Magic Stormers 80-72. Her left hand is both a strength and weakness as it’s an extra facet for the team but also bares a mark of predictability. Ruth Kirungi and Brenda Mboine will come off the bench to stop her drive. MY VERDICT: UCU TO WIN SERIES 4-2

The palpable excitement after Game 4 of City Oilers’ series triumph over DMark Power told half the story for the victors.

As underwhelming underdogs against champions in three of the last five years, Oilers had already overachieved by the time they reached the semi-finals.                

In fact it could be argued that reaching the playoffs in their first season in Division One amounted to a satisfactory season.

Their ambition on promotion in December last year was to lift the title in two years. Now, they are in the finals in their first year.

Only 12 months ago, their roster was awash with part-timers.

The team that gained promotion in 2012 had enlisted several pickup caliber players

To make the competitive grade of the top division, it necessitated making recruitments that would match the scale offered by powerhouses Power, Falcons, UCU and Warriors.

The smart signings of Kami Kabange, Jimmy Enabu and Daniel ‘Najja’ Juuko elevated their prowess in an instant. Kami’s talismanic presence has particularly been priceless. With his intelligence and leadership, Oilers are genuine title contenders. Without him, they are at less than half mast. For Oilers though, the ambition was not just to win but to grow basketball in the country.                

“We want to make basketball competitive,” Oilers President Mohammed Ghedi said on promotion to Division One.

“We want the Division to be competitive, exciting and colourful. We don’t want to just prioritise winning as City Oilers.” Seen as money bags because of being bankrolled by City Oil under the Mandela group, their advent can only bode well for the ball game. Oilers’ plan is not to buy success. They intend to earn it by building their capacity.

“We want to earn respect in the league,” club patron Hassan Ahmed reiterated. “We will continue looking around to offer young players chance to make a fair product for all fans of the sport.” Ghedi is intent on the club growing organically. “A better Oilers overtime means a better national league because the number of strong teams increases. We hope to be spoken of in the same breath as Power, Warriors, Falcons, UCU and KIU in years to come.” For now, their focus is on the small matter of Game One of the 2013 finals against Falcons on Friday.

mnamanya@ug.nationmedia.com

17 points from Hilda Indasi helped United States International University- Africa qualify for the quarterfinals of the 19th Africa Champions Cup for Women with a 61-44 win over Dolphins of Nigeria.
The match played on Monday at the Salle Couverte Al-Massira gymnasium in Meknes, Morocco was the second win for the Kenyan ladies who now finish second in Group A with five points.
Angola’s Premeiro D’Agosto was the group winner with six points from three wins.
USIU set the tempo from the onset taking home the first quarter 20-12 and the second 13-9 for a 33-21 halftime lead.
The third quarter was a more one-sided affair for USIU winning 19-8 as they proved unstoppable. Dolphins won the last quarter 15-9 but had no effect on the final scoreline.
USIU had won the opening match 77-61 against host side COD Meknes before falling 45-71 in the second against D’Agosto.
The George Mayienga side is likely to meet Kenyan rivals Eagle Wings in the quarterfinals on Wednesday if the Thomas Olumbo girls manage to finish third in Group B.
Currently, Wings lie joint second with First Deepwater of Nigeria as both sides have three points each from one win and one loss.
A second place finish will see Wings play COD Meknes in the quarters and are set to finish their group matches against Angola’s Interclube on Tuesday.
Wings overcome Moroccan Tanger
Ittihad Radi De Tanger will play Deepwater in the other match of the group. Wings beat local side Ittihad Radi De Tanger 60-37 in their opening match but narrowly lost 69-71 to First Deepwater in their second match on Monday.
It was a match that the Kenyans showed real fighting spirit playing second fiddle to the Nigerians for the entire match.
They trailed 38-46 at the breather and were 14 points down at the start of the fourth quarter. Captain Silalei Shani contributed eleven of the team’s 39 rebounds while Samba Mjomba and Evelyn Nora scored a three-pointer each from 13 attempts.
Deepwater was victorious in the first three quarters winning 24-20, 22-18 and 15-09 respectively while Wings won the last 22-10. The result was encouraging to Wings who played Nigerians for the second year in a row at the tournament.
“Last year in the same championship, we played Deepwaters and to say they thrashed us is an understatement. Today, we went down fighting,” assistant coach Evelyne Kedogo said from Morocco.  “A medal bracket in this championship is achievable, I believe in the ladies.”
The quarterfinals are set for Wednesday with D'Agosto, Dolphins, USIU and COD Meknes having already qualified. D’Agosto will play the fourth placed team in Group B while USIU face off with the third place finisher.
Dolphins will have a date with the top side in Group B with COD Meknes playing the second best side. Classification matches and the semifinals will be played on November 28 and finals on November 30.
Collated Results: Group A- USIU 77 COD Meknes 61, Primeiro D’Agosto 72 Dolphins 52, USIU 45 Primeiro D’Agosto 71, USIU 61 Dolphins 44, COD Meknes 53 Primeiro D’Agosto 84; Group B- First Deepwater 39 Intercube 65, Eagle Wings 60 Ittihad Radi De Tanger 37, Eagle Wings 69 First Deepwater 71, Interclube 87 Ittihad Radi De Tanger 30.

A barrage of threes from Ronnie Kasewu, 20 and nine rebounds, and Jude Ochen, 19 points, served as scanty consolation for coach Ronnie Owino, signed to defend this title after Warriors finished third in the regular season under Emmy Samanya.

Seventh seeds Falcons limited Henry Malinga to 17 and Ivan Enabu to 12. That was the key. It will be a final of stark contrasts – Oilers – the party crashers – and Falcons – the most successful team – seeking a seventh title – the first since 2007.

FINALS SINCE 2005
2005: Nkumba beat Falcons
2006: Nkumba beat Power
2007: Falcons beat Warriors
2008: Power beat Falcons
2009: Warriors beat Power
2010: Power beat Warriors
2011: Power beat Warriors
2012: Warriors beat Falcons

Co-operative Bank of Kenya on Friday retained the national classic league men premier title after sealing a 3-0 series win over Kenya Ports Authority, KPA, at the Kasarani gymnasium.
It was a bitter ending for the Dockers who had a good run in the regular season finishing top in the 12-teams league.
They had hoped to win their first title since 1991 when they last won but could not match the tempo of their experienced opponents.
Friday's win was Co-op Bank’s eighth overall title to become the most successful side in the league and was their fourth straight after winning in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
The performance matched the earlier achievement in 1995 when they won for four consecutive seasons until 1998.
Ulinzi Warriors is the second in achievement having won the title six times while Lions are four times champions.
In this year’s playoffs final, KPA qualified as the hot favorite having beaten highly-rated Lions 3-0 in the semifinals while the bankers had a comeback 3-1 win over USIU-A. Co-op won games one and two 88-72 and 74-64 and had an upper hand going to the third game.
James Mwangi wins MVP
Prior to the finals, head coach Carey Odhiambo had promised to take the series without conceding a game and this dream was realized after his side beat KPA 85-72 on Friday.
Odhiambo retained his coach of the year award he won last year while James Mwangi was named the most valuable player.
“I am very excited because that shows what am capable of doing,” said odhiambo. The bankers endured a poor start going down 18-23 in the opening quarter but came out strongly in the second to win 23-13 and lead 41-36 at the breather.
A dominant 24-9 win in the third quarter for Co-op Bank made matters difficult for KPA who had to win game three to avoid early elimination.
Winning 24-18 in the fourth quarter could not salvage fortunes for KPA. Odhiambo termed the just concluded season as the most competitive for his side.
“This was a very tough season because we started poorly losing the opening match against Thunder. The champions spirit saw us recover and finish in the top four bracket from where we took it over in the playoffs.” He laughed off claims that his side beat an inexperienced opponent saying any team reaching the finals is a competitor.
USIU finish third
“They did not fall into the finals from nowhere. They beat other teams to reach there so the notion that they lacked experience can't be true.”
USIU finished third after outclassing Lions 75-62 in their classification match played Saturday. The students trailed 19-31 at halftime and a spirited comeback saw the David Maina team secure a podium finish.
Both teams slipped one position from last season when USIU finished second and Lions third. Division One champion will be known on Sunday when Equity Bank and Strathmore University play in game five.
Both teams are tied at 2-2 and the decider will determine who lifts the crown. Equity won game one 54-43 but Strathmore won games two and three 56-46 and 69-65.
The bankers leveled the series with a 80-55 win in game four. Kenya Airports Authority, KAA, has already secured the third spot after edging out Kenyatta University Pirates 67-62 in their classification match.
Weekend Results: Co-op Bank 85 KPA 72, KU Pirates 62 KAA 76, Lions 62 USIU Tigers 75, Strathmore University 55 Equity Bank 80.

After only five points decided the first two games of this matchup between last year’s finalists, Warriors edging the first 76-75 and Falcons nicking the second 80-76, the latter took charge.

A brisk start saw Geoff Omondi nail three of his four from beyond the arc with the six-time champions taking the opening period 32-11.

That was game-set-match and the margin should have been at least 20 points. The rest was normal service with Abdullahi ‘Dulah’ Ramadhan leading all scorers with 18 points and seven assists.                 

Omondi and Stephen Omony had an identical 16 points and six rebounds. But, it’s the return from a four-match ban of Serge Kabangu that had the most telling contribution, way beyond his 16 points and six rebounds. “He was big,” that’s all his coach Gad Eteu said. Kabangu lessened the burden on Philip Ameny, ran the baseline and limited the damage that veteran Henry Malinga has caused Falcons in this series.

When they fouled, Kabangu made six of seven from the free throw line. Malinga, who made 42 through the first two games, scored a team-high 14 points, converting only four of 10 from the charity-line.
Sylvain Yunzu also scored 14 in his first game in months, Ivan Enabu and Sam Gombya made 12 apiece but this was never a contest as Falcons came close to their full potential.

Eteu opted to “let them enjoy the result” and not conduct those lengthy post-game meetings. However, one word reverberated in their minds and it should till Sunday – “focus.”

Meanwhile, Claire Lamunu, Martha Soigi, Flavia Oketcho and Becky Akullo scored 20, 18, 18 and 18 as KCCA Leopards beat Magic Stormers 80-72 to win the series 3-0 and move on to the final.

UCU Lady Canons should join them with victory against A1 Challenge tonight. The Lady Canons lead the series 2-0.

United States International University- Africa, USIU-A, ladies basketball team flies out of the country left the country late Tuesday for Morocco to take part in their maiden Champions Cup for women.
This will be the first time for the varsity side to compete at a continental tourney. USIU qualified after finishing runners-up to Eagle Wings at the Zone V qualifiers held in August.
Wings, the other representative for the zone, will leave the country on Wednesday. USIU, fresh from qualifying for the local league playoffs final, will use the tournament as a learning platform.
Head coach George Mayienga says this being their debut year, there is nothing much that can be expected from his young side.
“I have told my girls to go out there and give their best. It is our first time so i can't say what our target is or the teams to beat.”
Hilda Indasi and Emma Nyakweba are the most experienced players in the side and will be counted heavily to offer leadership.
Burundian trio of Cynthia Irankunda, Magnifique Urutse and Marlene Bukuru as well as Sarah Chan from Sudan are the only foreigners in the 14-man travelling party.
With lack of experience being the team’s main weak area, Mayienga believes there is more for the players to get other than just participating and winning.
“Some of our prospective opponents play professional basketball but for us we are not even amateurs. This is a good opportunity for my team to learn how others do it,” he said.
Eagles Wings yet to secure accommodation 
Eagle Wings’ Wednesday departure might be pushed to earlyThursday morning if they will not have secured money for accommodation.
The government offered them air tickets but they still lack a sponsor to foot their accommodation expenses.
The technical bench has selected a relatively experienced team bringing on board guest players as they seek to better last year’s results.
Rose Ouma who plays professional basketball in Dubai, Co-operative Bank’s Eleanor Musundi and Ulinzi Blades duo of Rebecca Sarange and Bridgit Nanzala will all be part of the traveling squad.
Sarange and Nanzala formerly played for the team before breaking away to play for their military side this season.
Assistant coach Evelyn Kedogo defended the selection saying they are well within FIBA rules.
“Other teams bring professional players only that in Kenya we are a bit mean. Unless a team like USIU raises objection or we object to their selection then there is no problem at all.”
Wings took part in the 2008 edition of the tournament hosted in Nairobi and 2012 in Cote d’Ivoire but failed to get past the group stage on both occasions.
The team is determined to do things differently this year. “Every team remains keen on a medal bracket finish. For us, making it to the quarters will be welcome since no Kenyan team has ever achieved that,” Said Kedogo.
Captain Silalei Shani, point guard Samba Mjomba and Annerose Atieno are some of the regular faces making the trip.
Angela Akoth is the only star player missing owing to personal commitments but her sister Janet Okoth has made the cut.
This year’s tourney is the 19th edition and will be held in the city of Meknes from November 22 to December 1 that will comprise teams from Angola,Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and the host clubs.
 The reigning champions of African Clubs Cup for Women Liga Desportiva de Maputo will not defend their title due to administrative reasons. Champions Cup for Women Squads: Eagle Wings- Rebecca Sarange, Bridgit Nanzala, Natalie Akinyi, Samba Mjomba, Linda Nyikuli, Janet Okoth, Silalei Shani, Evelyn Nora, Velma Achieng, Annerose Atieno, Rose Ouma, Eleanor Musundi; Management: Thomas Olumbo (Coach), Evelyn Kedogo (Ass. Coach), Nelly Odera (Team Manager), Agina Wesonga (Ass. Team Manager), Kennedy Shikuku (Team Doctor);
USIU-A- Hilda Indasi, Lucy Akinyi, Georgia Otieno, Lynda Nyongesa, Clarice Odhiambo, Emma Nyakweba, Doreen Nyaga, Zipporah Odhiambo, Cynthia Irankunda, Magnifique Urutse, Catherine Ndung’u, Sarah Chan, Marlene Bukuru, Stephanie Muluka; Management- George Mayienga (Coach), Bonfas Salano (Team Manager).

Elsewhere, KCCA Leopards, with a 2-0 series lead, will seal their place in the women’s finals with victory over Stormers in the night’s opening game.

Women premier league defending champions Eagle Wings have all but lost the title after being locked out of the playoffs final by USIU-A on a 1-3 series loss.
The win was a sweet revenge for the students who lost 2-0 to Wings in last year’s final as well as both matches in the regular season this year.
They also lost the Zone V title to the same team in Burundi in August. USIU-A will now play Kenya Ports Authority, KPA, in the final after the Dockers eliminated Sprite Storms 3-0.
Leading 2-0 after winning the first two games in Nairobi last weekend, KPA only needed a win at their Makande gymnasium to seal qualification.
They managed to overpower the visitors with a 45-34 win on Saturday helped by 14 points each from Brenda Angeshi and Yvonne Akinyi. Angela Luchivya scored 9 for Storms.
At the Nyayo gymnasium, USIU proved to be the superior side beating their opponents in speed to add on to their 60-51 win in game three played Saturday.
Blind passes cost Wings heavily gifting USIU a huge chunk of possession mostly in the second half. With a 13-11 win in the opening quarter, things seemed bright for Wings until they began to lose focus inside the second quarter that USIU won 14-7.
The students built on their 25-20 halftime lead to outplay Wings and at one point had opened up a 19 points lead.
They enormously won the third quarter 22-12 and not even the 19-16 win in the fourth quarter could help Wings force game five.
Hilda Indasi top scored for USIU with 18 points and ten rebounds while Emma Nyakweba had 15 points and seven rebounds. Angela Akoth scored 13 points for Wings and Natalie Akinyi added 12.
George Mayienga, USIU head coach, said; “This is all because of hard work. Playing against a team with five international players and massive experience was not easy considering we won three consecutive games.”
Indasi was the most used player in the USIU side playing for 40 minutes and Mayienga justified his decision which paid off. “She deserved it. With Emma fouling too much, she was the right person to cover for that.”
USIU, Eagles off to Morocco 
The two teams will fly out of the country on Tuesday to take part in the FIBA Champions Cup for Women in Morocco from November 20-30.
Wings will now play Storms in the third place playoff while KPA will be represented in both categories heading to the finals. KPA men will play champions Co-op Bank in the men premier final.
Melissa Akinyi scored a game high 25 points to help Strathmore University finish fifth after beating Co-operative Bank 67-66 in their ranking match. The bankers will be contented with the sixth spot. Spaces take up the seventh after Western Delight failed to show up as the Westerners finish eighth.
In division one, Umoja finished fifth with a 54-41 win over Little Prince who take up sixth. The seventh position was taken by Zetech College after beating Trailblazers 76-62 in their ranking match. Trailblazers are eighth.
Playoffs final for men premier and division one begin November 20 at the Kasarani gymnasium.
Collated Results: Saturday- Umoja 70 Zetech College 54, Trailblazers 58 Little Prince 65, Co-op Bank 87 Safe Spaces 60, Strathmore University 48 Nairobi Aviation College 47, Eagle Wings 51 USIU Flames 60, KPA 45 Sprite Storms 34; Sunday- Strathmore University 67 Co-op Bank 66, Umoja 54 Little Prince 41, Zetech College 76 Trailblazers 62, USIU Flames 63 Eagle Wings 51.

Kampala- Sports administrator Peninah Kabenge has called on female basketball players and officials to stand up and take a visible role in the game.

“We need to reclaim our voices in the game,” Makerere University sports tutor Kabenge said while launching the Uganda Women’s Basketball Association (UWBA) at Kati Kati Restaurant in Kampala on Saturday. “This association should help us address the issues affairs.

Men’s basketball in Uganda continues to attract massive crowds compared to the women’s game. Recently, the local basketball body, Fuba, signed a deal to have the men’s topflight playoffs broadcast live on television. The women were not catered for in the arrangement.                 

These, among other issues like lack of female coaches and referees, continue to bother observers who feel the women’s game is as good. “It’s time for us to stand and produce on the court,” Kabenge noted. Headed by Joy Olinga, UWBA plans to organise coaching and refereeing clinics for women starting with schools.
Fuba president Ambrose Tashobya welcomed the development. UWBA crowned KCCA Leopards player Claire Lamunu as the 2012 Queen of Basketball. The award, for outstanding and disciplined players, will be given out annually. Frances Nabulobi, Rice Nsiime, Sandra Mundru, Proscovia Nagganya, Brenda Khanali are the other UWBA executive

Henry Malinga snatched a game-high 26 points. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“The rules are there so people should read them instead of arguing without information,” Donnan Byabazeire, the council secretary, told Saturday Monitor.
During the same UCU-Falcons series, the former’s Martin Okwako and the latter’s Serge Kabangu fought in Game One and were banned for four games.

In the series involving Riham Warriors and Ndejje University Angels, Andrew Okot and Jeje Chaka, players in those respective teams, were involved in an altercation.
Chaka stepped on Okot and he stood up enraged only for teammates to hold them back before the fist-fight could start. Both were exonerated.