2015: Silverbacks, Gazelles competed at AfroBasket

Silverbacks power forward Stanley Ocitti attempts a jumper against Central African Republic at the AfroBasketball Championships held in Tunisia last year. Ocitti was impressive. Courtesy photo 

Kampala- As Silverbacks captain Stephen Omony stated, qualification to the AfroBasket championships should be made a habit rather than a one off.

For 2015 though, the country can celebrate a hugely successful year in which the Silverbacks and Gazelles, the national men and women’s basketball teams all took part in the continental championship.

This was in addition to the ladies’ club side KCCA who returned to the continental competition for the first time since 2008 while City Oilers narrowly missed out on qualification after a narrow loss to Egyptian side Gezira.

“My conclusion will be to appreciate the opportunity to be among the 16 top teams in Africa and people should watch out for Uganda next time,” Omony said after the men’s tournament in August. The results were not as fruitful, the Silverbacks bowing out with a 1-4 record.

The only victory came in the 72-64 classification game triumph over Zimbabwe to finish 15th at the 16 team tournament.

There were some decent individual performances on the other hand particularly from Omony who averaged 17.5 points against powerhouses Tunisia and Nigeria before completing with 12.5 points in four games.

Stanley Ochitti too certainly left with an enhanced reputation, the power forward averaging a team high 14.6 points in five games.

The women’s team fared slightly better finishing 10th out of 12 nations with a 2-5 record and had Peace Proscovia pick a tournament high 12.7 rebounds with Muhayimina Namuwaya coming fifth in the same category.

At the Fiba Africa Club Champions Cup, KCCA Leopards also finished 11th out of 12 teams with Namuwaya averaging nine rebounds, the second best figures at the tournament that concluded at the start of this month in Angola.

They qualified for this tournament after finishing second at the Zone V championship following a 73-62 loss to Tanzania’s Berco Stars in the final.

In the men, City Oilers improved from their third placed finish at the same tournament in Rwanda but still fell agonizingly short, 75-73 to Gezira in the final.

Oilers win league
The consolation for that disappointment was picking up a third successive National League title after a 4-3 series triumph over the UCU Canons.

The feat for the five-year-old club saw them become only the second side to complete a three-peat after Falcons between 2002-04. This followed an 8-67 win in the deciding Game Seven of the Fuba- Pepsi League playoff final.

Ben Komakech woke from his slumber to score 14 points while compatriots Kami Kabange added 18 and Landry Ndikumana 11 to deny Nicholas Natuhereza’s side a first league triumph in their 11 year history.

In the women,Judith Nansobya scored 19 points in game six to help the UCU Lady Canons hold off a late KCCA leopards charge and win their best of seven series 4-2.