Warriors clinch maiden FUBA trophy
Dec 03, 2009
AFTER 14 years of hard work and heartache, the Kyambogo Warriors have won the men’s national basket¬ball championship. By contrast, it has taken the KCC Leopards two years to regain the women’s title, their second overall.
MTN-FUBA PLAYOFF FINALS
Men’s Division 1: Warriors 87 Power 86 (Warriors win series 4-1)
Women: KCC 67 A1 59 (KCC win series 4-1)
Promoted to Division 1: St. Michael, Berkley
Promoted to Division 2: Sharing, DISs
By Charles Mutebi
AFTER 14 years of hard work and heartache, the Kyambogo Warriors have won the men’s national basket¬ball championship. By contrast, it has taken the KCC Leopards two years to regain the women’s title, their second overall.
Miriam Hamala and the irrepressible Flavia Okecho gunned 17 and 16 points respectively as KCC dispatched A1 Challenge 67-59 in Game 5 of the best-of-seven MTN-FUBA women’s playoff finals.
Hatima Kassim and Mavita Ali scored 15 and 12 respectively for A1 but could not stop their team from losing a fourth consecutive final.
Bad for A1 but not so for Warriors, who ensured their second appearance in the men’s finals ended in glory. It also ended in dramatic fashion, on a night when Ronnie Kasewu led the team to an 87-86 and a 4-1 series victory over D’Mark Power in Game 5 of the best-of-seven men’s division 1 playoff finals.
Kasewu is the leading contender for the finals MVP award, and after his performance in the club’s most historic game, he will likely scoop the honour.
The shooter-guard sunk a team-high 19 points as the champions survived a late rally from Power, who were awarded a technical foul, penalising Carol Bisereko with four seconds of regular time left.
But as senior referee Tom Ocamuringa was informing the match officials’ table of Bisereko’s infringement, his counterpart Baker Mande adjudged Power’s Joseph Ikong, who had been punched by Bisereko, to be play-acting. Mande penalised Ikong with a technical for the offence. Both technical fouls cancelled out but the in-bound was still Power’s. All they needed was to score to force a Game 6.
The in-bound was received by Norman Blick. He shook off two markers and was on the way for a lay-up but he elected to pass to Ken Balyejusa, who was still fidgeting with the ball when the four seconds expired. Bam, the Warriors were champions!
Kasewu raised his hands, team-mate Martin Okwako jumped for joy and the court was swarmed by elated Warriors fans.
Okwako netted 17 points while Okias, Warriors’ other star sunk 16.
Power forward Isaac Afidra was once again the match top-scorer, sinking 26 points as the defending champions relinquished their crown. Afidra did not deserve to be on the losing side but he acknowledged the Warriors were worthy champions.
“We must agree the Warriors are a disciplined side,†he said. “They played well, they deserve it.â€
Warriors’ owner, former coach and player Ambrose Tashobya revelled in the club’s achievement.
“I feel so happy to win the title after all that hard work and pain,†he said. “I particularly feel happy for guys Ronnie and Okias. They deserve to win a championship after all these years.â€
Unfortunately, the Warriors and Leopards will have no time to rest as both clubs travel to Kigali next week for the continental club championships.
Men’s Division 1: Warriors 87 Power 86 (Warriors win series 4-1)
Women: KCC 67 A1 59 (KCC win series 4-1)
Promoted to Division 1: St. Michael, Berkley
Promoted to Division 2: Sharing, DISs
By Charles Mutebi
AFTER 14 years of hard work and heartache, the Kyambogo Warriors have won the men’s national basket¬ball championship. By contrast, it has taken the KCC Leopards two years to regain the women’s title, their second overall.
Miriam Hamala and the irrepressible Flavia Okecho gunned 17 and 16 points respectively as KCC dispatched A1 Challenge 67-59 in Game 5 of the best-of-seven MTN-FUBA women’s playoff finals.
Hatima Kassim and Mavita Ali scored 15 and 12 respectively for A1 but could not stop their team from losing a fourth consecutive final.
Bad for A1 but not so for Warriors, who ensured their second appearance in the men’s finals ended in glory. It also ended in dramatic fashion, on a night when Ronnie Kasewu led the team to an 87-86 and a 4-1 series victory over D’Mark Power in Game 5 of the best-of-seven men’s division 1 playoff finals.
Kasewu is the leading contender for the finals MVP award, and after his performance in the club’s most historic game, he will likely scoop the honour.
The shooter-guard sunk a team-high 19 points as the champions survived a late rally from Power, who were awarded a technical foul, penalising Carol Bisereko with four seconds of regular time left.
But as senior referee Tom Ocamuringa was informing the match officials’ table of Bisereko’s infringement, his counterpart Baker Mande adjudged Power’s Joseph Ikong, who had been punched by Bisereko, to be play-acting. Mande penalised Ikong with a technical for the offence. Both technical fouls cancelled out but the in-bound was still Power’s. All they needed was to score to force a Game 6.
The in-bound was received by Norman Blick. He shook off two markers and was on the way for a lay-up but he elected to pass to Ken Balyejusa, who was still fidgeting with the ball when the four seconds expired. Bam, the Warriors were champions!
Kasewu raised his hands, team-mate Martin Okwako jumped for joy and the court was swarmed by elated Warriors fans.
Okwako netted 17 points while Okias, Warriors’ other star sunk 16.
Power forward Isaac Afidra was once again the match top-scorer, sinking 26 points as the defending champions relinquished their crown. Afidra did not deserve to be on the losing side but he acknowledged the Warriors were worthy champions.
“We must agree the Warriors are a disciplined side,†he said. “They played well, they deserve it.â€
Warriors’ owner, former coach and player Ambrose Tashobya revelled in the club’s achievement.
“I feel so happy to win the title after all that hard work and pain,†he said. “I particularly feel happy for guys Ronnie and Okias. They deserve to win a championship after all these years.â€
Unfortunately, the Warriors and Leopards will have no time to rest as both clubs travel to Kigali next week for the continental club championships.