KIU Titans 74-65 Pemba Warriors (KIU won series 3-1)
UCU Lady Canons 74-64 JKL Lady Dolphins (UCU clinched series 3-1)
KAMPALA. KIU Titans will contest this year’s National Basketball league final with City Oilers after eliminating Pemba Warriors in their best-of-five semifinal series on Sunday. The Titans triumphed 74-65 on the day to claim a 3-1 series victory over Pemba Warriors on a hugely emotional day for both victors and losers.
KIU have never qualified for the finals having lost at the semifinal stage over the past two seasons despite a huge outlay on players. They however managed to break that jinx on the back of a steely defense despite not being as dominant in the regular season as in the previous seasons. They were again not at their best against a Pemba Warriors side that led for most of the game and by as many as 15 points midway through the third quarter after losing game three 66-61.
Bu the Titans battled back winning the final quarter 32-15 after they trailed 22-16 at the end of the first period and 50-42 at the end of the third. They had five players in double figures led by Sudi Ulanga with 15 points while Ethienne Kazungu added 14 and Michael Bwanga 13 for the Titans. Ulanga appears re-energized since Brian Wathum was promoted to the head coaching role in place of the sacked Hamza Nyambogo.
“The turning point was tying the series at 1-1 because we knew it would be impossible to come from two games down,” Ulanga who shed tears after the game told reporters. The guard reached his first ever final having suffered perennial semifinal heartaches with UCU Canons Power and then KIU since moving from Tanzania in 2010. The Warriors meanwhile assembled one of the best rosters but lost grip of the game like in game three in the defining moments as their lack of trust in the available point guards put paid to their chances of a first final since 2012.
Guard Mark Opio led the Warriors but had a game high seven turnovers before fouling out with 18 points. He left the court in tears and had to be restrained by teammates as he threatened to attack umpire Baker Kyambadde after the game. They were again without Michael Buzangu arguably their best player this season with the forward having played a disappearing act following a disagreement after game two. KIU now play the final against City Oilers on a yet to be known date with the latter who eliminated Betway Power in the other semifinal due to travel for the Fiba Africa Championship early next month. In the women’s category UCU ensured there is another final against perennial rivals KCCA following a 74-64 result that sealed a 3-1 series win.