Can Warriors return to winning ways?

May 15, 2013

AS Kyambogo head into today’s encounter with the Nkumba Marines at the MTN Arena, there is a sense that the UCU defeat was the first warning sign

By Charles Mutebi

 

National Basketball League 

Heaters v KIU 6.30pm (Lugogo)

Nkumba v Kyambogo 8.30pm (Lugogo)

 

THAT the Kyambogo Warriors lost to the UCU Canons in the National Basketball League (NBL) last week should ordinarily be no cause for alarm. 

Yet as Kyambogo head into today’s encounter with the Nkumba Marines at the MTN Arena, there is a sense that the UCU defeat was the first warning sign for the defending champions ahead of what figures to be a more a competitive season than last year’s. 

The Warriors lost by five points to a team that has beaten them on a regular basis since 2007 and one that took two games off them in a playoff semi-final series as recently as last year. 

Yet Friday’s passionate performance should not mask glaring chinks in the Warriors armour, chiefly a squad that looks shorthanded. 

Sam Gombya, who has been interested in leaving the Warriors, made his season’s debut against UCU while club director Ivan Ntabazi stressed before the match that Henry Malinga and Michael Karuiki will make theirs sooner rather than later. 

“Our team will be able to defend the title,” added Ntabazi, ahead of the match that, in a FUBA first, was telecast live on national television. 

While Nkumba, who are in a rebuilding phase, are not expected to prevent the more experienced Kyambogo from returning to winning ways, Timothy Odeke’s team have the ability to make this an uncomfortable match for Kyambogo. 

In the day’s first game, the KIU Titans will be favourites to make it two straight wins.

They are up against the Victoria University Heaters side.

The Heaters defeated the Vegetarian outfit in their opening match held seven days ago.

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