Basketball in Africa

Members of Uganda’s Zone V women’s basketball team, the Gazelles, celebrate with their trophy on Sunday. PHOTO BY Ismail Kezaala 

Kampala. By losing a battle you find a new way to win the war. That is what Claire Lamunu set out to do and accomplish after Uganda had lost their opening two games against Egypt and Kenya at the Fiba Africa Zone V National Basketball Championship that ended on Sunday.
“I had to find a way to improve my shooting so instead of relaxing, I used the rest day (Thursday) to perfect my shot,” revealed Lamunu whose gun was loaded for subsequent games.
The small forward who had managed 17 and 11 points in the first two games proceeded to score 24 points in the two ensuing games as the Gazelles thumped Egypt 78-45 and Kenya 64-61 respectively to emerge champions for the first time ever.
The qualification also sealed a maiden appearance for the ladies at next year’s Afrobasket and All Africa Games while Lamunu also emerged MVP top scorer with 76 points at the tournament.
“Failure for us to qualify would have been catastrophic considering the efforts team Uganda management put in. We just had to do it for them,” the 21 year old KCCA player explained. The Gazelles’ victory was also reciprocated by the men’s team, the Silverbacks, who finished second behind Egypt after beating Rwanda 69-61.

Individual prizes

Women MVP - Claire Lamunu
Top Scorer - Claire Lamunu
Men’s MVP - John Balwigaire
Men’s top scorer - Abdelhalim Amrsherif

esenono@ug.nationmedia.com