Basketball in Africa

Peter Nyoroto led Heaters’ charge with 16 points, 10 rebounds and one assist.

Wednesday results
M: KIU 60-63 Heaters
Division 3
M: City Oil 57-59 Air Force
Today at YMCA
M: UCU v Falcons (8.30pm)
W: KCC v Sparks (6.30pm)

Youth Heaters stunned KIU Titans 63-60 on Wednesday to record their first win in this season’s MTN-Fuba League.

In front of a paltry crowd, the Makerere-based side, showed little respect for the Titans, winning the first quarter 16-12. Coach Nimrod Kaboha’s Titans rallied to snatch the second session 12-11 and the third 19-15 but were pegged back 21-17 in the last one.
“I am very happy about today’s win. Our first round games are over, we shall try to play better in the second round,” Heaters coach Brian Wathum said after the game.
With only two wins in the first round, Kaboha left YMCA a disappointed man.
He said: “I am a bit bitter about this game. We committed so many turnovers.”
Kaboha blamed the loss on poor preparations as most of his players are on holiday. “You can’t win with only seven players,” he said.
Thomas Tomach scored 18 and Joshua Etalu added 17 in KIU’s losing effort.

With the season turning out to be unpredictable, the men’s topflight game between 7UP Falcons and UCU Canons tonight should serve up another spectacle.

There was a promise last week from Falcons chairman Denis Mbidde last week that they would appoint a new coach before today.

That has come to pass as Falcons will stick with Sam Obol, at least for now. “We shall appoint a permanent coach in time for the second round,” Mbidde said when quizzed yesterday.

Play-off onslaught
Primarily, Obol must make the presumed second round play-off onslaught worth it. There might be a better chance to underline their attentions than against UCU with whom they are tied 4-3. After rugged starts, UCU added Desmond Owili and Jachin Wettston whereas Falcons got in Philip Alweny to aid Richard Omondi’s presence on the inside.

Falcons still have worries of thinness among the guards when Abdullahi Ramadhan needs a breather like the 69-67 win at the buzzer over Ndejje University Angels showed.
“UCU is not an easy team but we shall play our game irrespective of the opposition,” Obol said, admitting that his bench is small.

Victory for either Obol or Nick Natuhereza will put them in control of their own play-off destiny behind Warriors (8-1), DMark Power (6-1) and Miracle (6-2).