The Falcons’ fairytale to a sixth hoops championship
Dec 10, 2007
SEASONAL comebacks in the sports world continue to criminally postpone the overdue retirement of the tacky Maxim ‘a bad beginning makes a good end’. Last month, the Mogas Falcons became the latest offenders.
By Charles Mutebi
SEASONAL comebacks in the sports world continue to criminally postpone the overdue retirement of the tacky Maxim ‘a bad beginning makes a good end’. Last month, the Mogas Falcons became the latest offenders.
Their 2007 national basketball conquest consummated one of the biggest downfalls of logic in living memory.
Firstly, despite finishing the first league round in second place with three losses, Henry Malinga had ruptured his knee and would miss eight weeks of the second round. But there was another bombshell – Sam Obol, star guard and 2002 MVP, opted out to due to the restricting schedule of his Masters in Economic planning course.
Without Obol and Henry, a leader and also 2002 and 2004 MVP, the second round lay on the cusp of an apocalypse. Qualification for the playoffs which was a Falcons’ birthright began to look sanely precarious.
“To qualify,†Henry calculated, they could “afford a maximum of four loses in the second round.†But they lost five and still qualified. Thanks to the number of unsolicited favours from their rivals.
First, the defending champions Nkumba Marines had refused to play their first round fixture against the comparatively weaker MUK Heaters arguing that many regular starters were on holiday due to the break-off at Nkumba University.
The Marines had accordingly requested FUBA for a postponement but the federation argued that such internal club matters would not warrant a disruption in the all important schedule.
The Marines ignored the warning to incur a walkover penalty. The penalty, which affects both legs of a given league fixture, denied them at least two points and four at most in case of two losses or wins respectively. Ultimately the Marines missed the playoffs by one point; the Falcons, proud beneficiaries.
But for the UCU Canons, the Falcons may not have gained from that quirk of justice. Going into the last day of the league, the Canons, who were already winners, were in the auspicious position of deciding who between KIU and the Falcons they would rather face in the playoffs.
KIU were stronger at the time and a win would put them through. So ever the strategists, the Canons deployed top-draw to defeat them, booking the Falcons’ a playoffs ticket instead.
This was the second time in weeks the Canons scratched the Falcons’ back. When the two had met for their second round clash, the Canons had a star stunted side because many had reportedly traveled to Kenya for holidays as Mukono Christian University was on a break.
The Falcons duly obliged this act of kindness to pick up two points as the Canons lost their first league game.
But rather than scratch the Canons in return, the Falcons dug in with a two-edged dagger when the two met in the playoffs.
The Canons strolled to a 74 – 49 win in Game 1 of the semifinals but the Falcons, bubbling in the return of Henry a few weeks earlier and Obol for Game 1 boiled over to win the next two and reach their eighth finals.
This potentially stroke-inducing shock was plotted by Kenyan coach Smatts Olumbo whose tactical nous decoded what had been the Canons killer blow – the full court press.
But when the Kyambogo Warriors went 2-0 ahead in the best of 5 finals, the Falcons’ fairytale seemed to have run its course. Yet once again the Falcons came back to win a closely contested Game 3: 81 – 78. Game 4 was much easier; 75 – 61 the score, rendering the decider a formality as the Warriors’ resistance had been broken.
The Falcons hoisted a record sixth title on completion of Game 5 leading 77– 68 capping what should be immortalized as a legend for inspiration.
No mention that the Malinga’s would be the heroes of any such literary investment. Henry netted 136 in the playoffs, a couple more than Eric but the brothers will be on opposite sides in the race for the playoffs MVP award later this week.
For a club that had looked a pitiable shadow of its past all season, to end the year with its rivals left looking up the humbling sight of its sole was a reminder that the last laugh remains absolute.
Will all the rush pundits give the 2007 champions a last one for the road.
SEASONAL comebacks in the sports world continue to criminally postpone the overdue retirement of the tacky Maxim ‘a bad beginning makes a good end’. Last month, the Mogas Falcons became the latest offenders.
Their 2007 national basketball conquest consummated one of the biggest downfalls of logic in living memory.
Firstly, despite finishing the first league round in second place with three losses, Henry Malinga had ruptured his knee and would miss eight weeks of the second round. But there was another bombshell – Sam Obol, star guard and 2002 MVP, opted out to due to the restricting schedule of his Masters in Economic planning course.
Without Obol and Henry, a leader and also 2002 and 2004 MVP, the second round lay on the cusp of an apocalypse. Qualification for the playoffs which was a Falcons’ birthright began to look sanely precarious.
“To qualify,†Henry calculated, they could “afford a maximum of four loses in the second round.†But they lost five and still qualified. Thanks to the number of unsolicited favours from their rivals.
First, the defending champions Nkumba Marines had refused to play their first round fixture against the comparatively weaker MUK Heaters arguing that many regular starters were on holiday due to the break-off at Nkumba University.
The Marines had accordingly requested FUBA for a postponement but the federation argued that such internal club matters would not warrant a disruption in the all important schedule.
The Marines ignored the warning to incur a walkover penalty. The penalty, which affects both legs of a given league fixture, denied them at least two points and four at most in case of two losses or wins respectively. Ultimately the Marines missed the playoffs by one point; the Falcons, proud beneficiaries.
But for the UCU Canons, the Falcons may not have gained from that quirk of justice. Going into the last day of the league, the Canons, who were already winners, were in the auspicious position of deciding who between KIU and the Falcons they would rather face in the playoffs.
KIU were stronger at the time and a win would put them through. So ever the strategists, the Canons deployed top-draw to defeat them, booking the Falcons’ a playoffs ticket instead.
This was the second time in weeks the Canons scratched the Falcons’ back. When the two had met for their second round clash, the Canons had a star stunted side because many had reportedly traveled to Kenya for holidays as Mukono Christian University was on a break.
The Falcons duly obliged this act of kindness to pick up two points as the Canons lost their first league game.
But rather than scratch the Canons in return, the Falcons dug in with a two-edged dagger when the two met in the playoffs.
The Canons strolled to a 74 – 49 win in Game 1 of the semifinals but the Falcons, bubbling in the return of Henry a few weeks earlier and Obol for Game 1 boiled over to win the next two and reach their eighth finals.
This potentially stroke-inducing shock was plotted by Kenyan coach Smatts Olumbo whose tactical nous decoded what had been the Canons killer blow – the full court press.
But when the Kyambogo Warriors went 2-0 ahead in the best of 5 finals, the Falcons’ fairytale seemed to have run its course. Yet once again the Falcons came back to win a closely contested Game 3: 81 – 78. Game 4 was much easier; 75 – 61 the score, rendering the decider a formality as the Warriors’ resistance had been broken.
The Falcons hoisted a record sixth title on completion of Game 5 leading 77– 68 capping what should be immortalized as a legend for inspiration.
No mention that the Malinga’s would be the heroes of any such literary investment. Henry netted 136 in the playoffs, a couple more than Eric but the brothers will be on opposite sides in the race for the playoffs MVP award later this week.
For a club that had looked a pitiable shadow of its past all season, to end the year with its rivals left looking up the humbling sight of its sole was a reminder that the last laugh remains absolute.
Will all the rush pundits give the 2007 champions a last one for the road.