UCU through to semis after dramatic win

Pepsi National Basketball League playoffs

Results

Best-of-three quarterfinals

Game 3: UCU 63 Warriors 62

(UCU win series 2-1)

Game 2: Oilers 69 UPDF 63

(Oilers win series 2-0)

Game 2: KIU 77 Falcons 57

(KIU win series 2-0)

Wednesday, YMCA

Game 3: Power v Our Saviour

Semi-final matchups

Best -of-five series

Women

UCU v A1

KCCA v JKL

Men

Oilers v UCU

KIU v Power/Our Saviour

Brian Namake scored a game-winning shot as time expired in the fourth quarter to help the UCU Canons eliminate the Pemba Warriors in the quarterfinals of Pepsi National Basketball League playoffs.

Fadhili Chuma scored a team-high 13 points for UCU while Namake and Steve Wundi contributed 12 points apiece as the Canons registered a 63-62 victory that saw them win the best-of-three series 2-1.

Namake made the bank shot after picking a rebound in a last-ditch scramble. The buzzer sounded just as Namake's shot hit the board and the Warriors held out hope that it might be cancelled. But the ball had clearly left Namake's hands.

JKL Dolphins players goes high to shot a basket against A1 challenge. PHOTO: Johnson Were

Mark Opio drained a game-high 23 points and Syrus Kiviri added 11 points for the Warriors, who led by 10 in the third quarter but could not put the Canons away.

This was UCU's first series victory over the Kyambogo in four tries. The Canons will face three-time defending champions City Oilers in the best-of-five semi-finals.

Elsewhere, the KIU Titans claimed a 77-57 victory over the Startimes Falcons to win the series 2-0 and await the winner of the Power - Our Saviour quarter. The two meet in a decisive Game three on Wednesday.