Basketball in Africa

Kinetic Management group has pulled off seven powerful shows of the Friday Night Lights basketball tournament [FNL], despite the shaky start.
Last Friday was the final night of the FNL tournament at the YMCA grounds in Wandegeya, with Team Ikong proving to be the kings of FNL. Led by Tiger Head skipper Joseph Ikong, the team has now won the tournament three out of four times. And it was a victory well deserved over a resurgent Team Blick.
But just like the organizers know, it is not the basketball that gets the crowds filling the house but, rather, the entertainment and carnival atmosphere. The organizers promised to have a "big night of fun", but the performances did not quite live up to the billing.
Forever MC was the first with his song on FNL, although it did not get the crowd cheering. Even rapper Patrobas with his 256 single featuring Ruyonga could not save the situation. The Mith suffered the same fate. It was evident that the Kinetic rappers have to produce new songs synonymous with current trends.
The Goodlyfe Crew of Radio and Weasel were the main acts of the night and everyone was expecting them to blow the house away. They didn't. First, they were too high, and secondly, they forgot they were performing for the crowd and turned their attention to the cameramen.
It was, however, Irene Ntale who got the crowd on its feet, clapping and dancing. Clad in white pants and sports top, she just knew what would get the crowd going. She had a dancer in zebra print pants and top who just knew how to make good use of her natural endowments as Ntale belted out Nkubukinze and Stay With Me.
The pair went into the crowd teasing a few men amidst cheers and ululation. Ntale then moved on to pick Norman Blick and Ikong for a rub-a-dub. This forced a fan to come forward and give them a run for their money. The crowd loved it and could not get enough.
And it was not just fun, merrymaking and basketball; fans collected money to support the disabled basketball association, plus a charity group called 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation.
The tournament returns next year.