UCU chasing title dream

Tusker Lite National Basketball League playoffs

Game 3: UCU 65 Power 58 (UCU lead series 2-1)

In taking a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five National Basketball League (NBL) playoff semi-finals against Betway Power, the UCU Canons opened the door to a world of possibilities. 

Whisper it but these young Canons maybe even moved top in the title projections. UCU favourites? Blimey! 

Their blueprint is good enough to oust Power while the Warriors, who are 2-1 behind the City Oilers in the other semi-finals, would probably be underdogs against UCU in the finals. As for the Oilers, well, as ever, that is a different story. But if there was ever year for UCU to beat the reigning six-time NBL champions, it is surely this one. 

With Stephen Omony, Francis Azolibe and Jonathan Egau all injury layoffs and Jimmy Enabu struggling to produce his best form because of limited training time, the Oilers have never been so vulnerable. 

By contrast, UCU have a clean bill of health and play with a freedom that has helped them cope with the pressure of the postseason. That nothing-to-lose attitude will be tested the closer they get to glory and ultimate success against Power may come down to their ability to hold their collective nerve. 

The Canons started this season with no serious hopes of contending for the championship but as their coach Nick Natuhereza observed, they would be fools to turn down the invite now they have a serious shot at winning it all. 

"Anything is possible," Natuhereza said in reference to UCU's chances. 

"I'm not blind to the fact that other teams have a little bit more experience than us but we cannot catch up on experience all of a sudden. We just have to count on what we have and hopefully, that will help us go far. If that means winning the league, well and good. 

"But for us to be able to win we have to do very many things at a very high level. The good thing is that we have a roaster that is at least 10-deep, which in the playoffs I think is a decent thing to have."

UCU's lost 4-3 to the Oilers in the 2015 NBL Finals but are now one win away from returning to their second championship-series despite theirs being one of the youngest teams in the league. 

Natuhereza started the season saying the Canons would need another two years to really contend for the title. How surprising they are already doing so?

Game 4 of the series is tonight at the Lugogo Arena.