The KIU enigma
May 11, 2009
JUST when you are about to be convinced KIU are serious outsiders or even contenders for the national men’s basketball championship, they go and prove otherwise.
By Charles Mutebi
MTN-FUBA League
Men
Division One
Canons 69 KIU 62
Women
A1 67 Sparks 54
Cubs 56 Crane High 42
JUST when you are about to be convinced KIU are serious outsiders or even contenders for the national men’s basketball championship, they go and prove otherwise.
Take their 69-62 overtime loss to the Canons on Sunday, for instance. It was a game they had to win to not only prove they can make a superior squad count, but also confirm they are now stronger than their fierce rivals given the Canons’ key personnel losses in the off-season.
Of course the benefit that would accrue to Kampala International University for surpassing the Canons is summed up in one simple statistic. For the past two seasons Canons have qualified for the playoffs while International have missed out by just one place.
By that token, all Nimrod Kaboha’s men have to do in the regular season to be sure of the postseason would be ensuring they finish ahead of the Canons, who have lost star guard Geoff Omondi and founding coach Jason Mehl, among others.
Yet as Sunday’s contest proved, International may not be ready to dethrone the Canons, or rather Robert Mugabe’s men are not prepared to be denied so easily. They certainly weren’t at Lugogo where Mugabe, the coach player, tied Steven Mwesigye for a team-high 16 points as the Canons out-scored International 11-4 in overtime.
Makmot Orom top-scored with 20, four more than team-mate and veteran Mande Juruni but a 58-58 tie at the end of regular time is the closest their contributions brought International to victory in this inter-university clash.
MTN-FUBA League
Men
Division One
Canons 69 KIU 62
Women
A1 67 Sparks 54
Cubs 56 Crane High 42
JUST when you are about to be convinced KIU are serious outsiders or even contenders for the national men’s basketball championship, they go and prove otherwise.
Take their 69-62 overtime loss to the Canons on Sunday, for instance. It was a game they had to win to not only prove they can make a superior squad count, but also confirm they are now stronger than their fierce rivals given the Canons’ key personnel losses in the off-season.
Of course the benefit that would accrue to Kampala International University for surpassing the Canons is summed up in one simple statistic. For the past two seasons Canons have qualified for the playoffs while International have missed out by just one place.
By that token, all Nimrod Kaboha’s men have to do in the regular season to be sure of the postseason would be ensuring they finish ahead of the Canons, who have lost star guard Geoff Omondi and founding coach Jason Mehl, among others.
Yet as Sunday’s contest proved, International may not be ready to dethrone the Canons, or rather Robert Mugabe’s men are not prepared to be denied so easily. They certainly weren’t at Lugogo where Mugabe, the coach player, tied Steven Mwesigye for a team-high 16 points as the Canons out-scored International 11-4 in overtime.
Makmot Orom top-scored with 20, four more than team-mate and veteran Mande Juruni but a 58-58 tie at the end of regular time is the closest their contributions brought International to victory in this inter-university clash.