Women's basketball: UCU still in charge

By Charles Mutebi

When Maureen Amoding changed addresses from the UCU Lady Canons to A1 Challenge before the start of the season, there are many who expected to see a major shift in the power structure of the women’s National Basketball League (NBL).

But if the first round of the regular season is any indication, the KCCA Leopards and Canons still run the town.

Amoding has improved A1 but KCCA and UCU still look on course for a fifth consecutive Finals meeting.

This fact is especially evident given that competition in the men’s NBL has never been so stiff this year, with as many as the first nine teams capable of giving each other close contests.
 

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A-1 Challenge's Maureen Amoding (right) beats KCCA Leopards Halima Nabusimba in April at Lugogo. (Credit: Michael Nsubuga)

As far as Joseph Manano (chairman competitions committee FUBA) is concerned, the glaring disparity in the women’s NBL is down to two reasons.

“Right now we don’t have a big pool of ladies teams,” Manano said.

“But the main reason is the management of (most) ladies teams is not as good as the majority of teams in the men’s NBL.”

Still, Manano has detected a change and he predicted that “in two or more years from now, the women’s league will be as competitive as the men’s.

“If you look at a team like the JKL Lady Dolphins, they are very organised and their example could inspire others.

“You saw how the City Oilers inspired their competitors to improve their management standards.” Back to A1, the club’s CEO Carol Kakazi said: “I believe will get to the finals this year”.