Lugudde sinks Canons in season opener

Apr 08, 2012

ISAAC Lugudde drained a team-high 15 points, Ben Komakech 14, Jimmy Enabu and Joseph Ikong added 11 points apiece as the reigning men’s champions opened the national basketball league season

By Charles Mutebi

FUBA LEAGUE

DIVISION 1 (MEN)

Power 74 UCU 65

DIVISION 2

Sharing 62 B/Court 56

Kings 59 Kyambogo University 53

DIVISION 3

Abacode 50 Biston 35

WOMEN

UCU 49 KIU 31

TODAY: 7.30PM

DIVISION 1 (MEN)

Warriors v Miracle

DIVISION 3:30PM

S/Jammer v Ssaku

WOMEN: 5.30PM

KCC v A1

ISAAC Lugudde drained a team-high 15 points, Ben Komakech 14, Jimmy Enabu and Joseph Ikong added 11 points apiece as the reigning men’s champions opened the national basketball league season with a characteristic 74-65 win over the UCU Canons.

Boniface Okello, who spent the last two seasons at Power, scored a team-high 17 points on his UCU debut while Sudi Ulanga added 16 points for the Canons, who had four other league debutants.

Apart from Ulanga hurting his left foot with 5:22 to play, the game had a lot of positives for the Canons. It just didn’t end in victory, which was always going to be difficult with Power playing their full court game so well.

On a slightly cold evening which lacked the hype fit for a season opener, this contest provided all the entertainment.

Power’s transitional game was particularly irresistible.

The Canons tried to run with Power but that is generally a bad idea. Power’s dominance showed why Bernice Ankunda’s team led from start to finish.

“It was just a good team effort,” said the mercurial Komakech, who played with his ailing right hand in a protective brace. “It was very crucial for us to win our first game because if we had lost people would start talking.”

UCU coach Nick Natuhereza said: “I’m not very happy with the start even though the team will improve with time. I felt we had to win tonight but we let it slip up.”