Unbeaten heavyweights clash tonight

Jul 12, 2013

ONE of those unbeaten records will come to an end with this contest, a fact that should add an extra element of intensity

By Charles Mutebi

Airtel National Basketball League

Rhinos 75 Vegetarian 60

City Oil 70 Ndejje 61

Today

Women: UCU v Stormers

Men: Power v UCU

BOTH the UCU Canons and D’Mark Power have added three useful players to their line-ups since their last meeting in last year’s playoffs.

What happens today, when the two rivals clash in the Airtel National Basketball League (ANBL) at Lugogo, could be determined by the impact of those offseason acquisitions.

For Power, the addition of the legendary Norman Blick, Derrick Mbusi and Paul Odong has had an instant impact, helping the club to nine victories in nine games so far.

Over at UCU, the signings of Cyrus Kiviri, Ivan Lumanyika and Jonathan Egau have made an even bigger splash, transforming a side that laboured through the 2012 regular season into one with a perfect record of nine wins and no losses.

Needless to add, one of those unbeaten records will come to an end with this contest, a fact that should add an extra element of intensity. Or will it?

According to Power forward Isaac Lugudde: “We want to keep the undefeated record to send out a message but at the same time there is no point in going undefeated (through the regular season) and then losing in the playoffs.”

It was UCU who dumped Power out of last year’s postseason, winning their quarterfinal series 2-1, so Lugudde and co. know the ultimate judgement will only come in the playoffs.

Nevertheless, there is a feeling that Power’s title credentials are under scrutiny with this game.

“It is important to win this game because there are a lot of people who are saying we haven’t been tested,” Lugudde conceded.

“UCU are real title contenders and we also have the Warriors coming up so these are the games we have to win.”

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