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The 2022 FUBA National Basketball League tipped off on Friday evening with matchday one action which ran upto Sunday evening with several games played at different basketball arenas in Kampala.
It was a false start for the seven-time champion, City Oilers as they lost to Namuwongo Blazers 72 – 65 in the men’s opener.
City Oilers jumped to a double-digit lead late in the opening quarter as Nam Blazers were jittery with their sets and had been forced into jump shots something that doesn’t come naturally for majority of the players in the league.
Amisi Saidi found no match in City Oilers interior all night, trimmed Blazers’ loss to single digits going into all the first and second quarters to push them to a win.
Saidi finished with game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead Blazers, Ongom added 15 points and Joseph Ikong contributed 14 points.
On the losing effort for Oilers, Ruak Ruai had team-high 13 points and matched game-high 11 rebounds. Ivan Muhwezi and Ben Komakech, the other Oilers to score in double figires, had 11 and 10 points respectively.
On Saturday, Sudi Ulanga was the stand-out name as UCU Canons took on KIU Titans to start off their 2022 NBL season at YMCA.
Ulanga, a former KIU Titan dropped shots and ended up with a joint team-high 16 points in a second game against his former side.
The victory was a revenge for last year’s 78-85 loss in a season that was later didn’t end due to a Covid19 outbreak.
The shooter is at UCU for his second spell having played for them four seasons before leaving in February 2015.
The only question is if he can maintain this impressive start to help the 2019 finalists chase for their first ever NBL title.
Apart from Sudi, Ibanda Lwabaga and Titus Lual and Fayed Baale also had double digits for Canons.
For the Titans, Henry Okoth put up 25 points, Joseph Dramaza 10 points while Joseph Chuma had 9 to keep UCU within sight but all was in vain after the side broke away.
In the other games, KCCA Panthers beat 57-47 Victoria University in an impressive performance for newcomers on their debut in National Basketball League but they fell to a better side.
Wilson Otweyo and Emma Ondongkara had 13 points each for KCCA Panthers.
Five-time champions Power held on to Overcome six-time winners Falcons 63-62. Guddi Nasser Kikiri came up with 14 points for Power, and he took home the Tusker Lite Player of the match
For the Ladies, JKL Lady Dolphins thrashed UCU Lady Canons 70-49. UCU had a strong start and a big statement of intent for the two-time reigning champions against their rival but couldn’t go all the way.
Flavia Oketch aka Flirsh led the way with a game high 22 points and took home the woman of the match accolade.
In the other ladies game A1 Challenge lost their tie to Nabisunsa in Saturday ‘s opener 64-58.
All results
Men’s Result
- City Oilers 65-72 Nam Blazers
- KIU Titans 66-74 UCU Canons
- Falcons 62-63 Power
- KCCA Panthers 57-47 Victoria University
- Our Saviours 63-61 Tropical Royals
- Ndejje Angels 58-50 KCCA Panthers
- JKL Lady Dolphins 81-82 UPDF Tomahawks
Women’s results
- KCCA Leopards 63-69 KIU Titans
- A1 Challenge 58-64 Nabisunsa
- JKL Lady Dolphins 70-49 UCU Lady Canons
- Miracle Ravens 60-64 Angels
- Nkumba Lady Marines 38-50 Magic Stormers
