Basketball in Africa

KAMPALA

City Oilers got away with a thin team enroute to winning the National Basketball League title in their first season last year.

Centre Kami Kabange, who would go on to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, and guard Jimmy Enabu shouldered the burden, brilliantly. The club’s management knew additions were needed. Geoff Omondi (Falcons) and Ben Komakech (Tiger Head Power) joined to spread the options on offense. But their inconsistency could ultimately decide how far they can go.

Coach Mandy Juruni was concerned about both, but more of the latter’s contribution, after losing 69-66 to UCU Canons, a fifth league defeat in a row to the same side on Saturday. With that UCU took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series. “His knee hurts,” Juruni said of Komakech. “It’s bothering him.”

The two-time MVP in the title-winning seasons of 2008 and 2010 at Power has had a below par season though exploding at this time of the year is often a certainty.

Injuries have played their part as he has also had a groin and finger problem too. The late season show as the out-of-jail card for Power is yet to materialize at Oilers.

Point guard Komakech scored four points and five assists following a return from injury as he sat out the 2-0 quarterfinal series sweep of Sharing Youth to accord his knees time to heal. He made only four attempts, scoring his first points with a minute to the final bell against UCU. “We will be fine,” is all an uptight Komakech would say. Juruni spent time talking to Omondi, Enabu and Komakech after the game. “They know they could have done a better job. Only Kami (27 points) took the fight to them.”

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