Fiba Africa Zone V Club Championship
MVP –Jordin Mayes (City Oilers)
Top scorer - Jordin Mayes (City Oilers)
Most rebounds- Landry Ndikumana (City Oilers)
Tournament starting five
Aristede Mugabe (Patriots)
Jordin Mayes (City Oilers)
Michael Makiadi (Betway Power)
Kami Kabange (City Oilers)
Stanley Ocittti (City Oilers)
In the end it was not the conclusion Betway Power might have wanted but there were certainly enough positives to pick from the just concluded Fiba Africa Zone V basketball tournament at Lugogo. The five-time Ugandan champions finished fourth but coach Arnold “Mchuda” Lando believes there were valuable lessons learned from the eight-team men’s tournament.
Invaluable experience
Mchuda singled out the experience gained by his squad at the championship that saw several clubs make a number of foreign additions to their rosters. Betway Power meanwhile only had power forward Ivan Lumanyika as the sole addition for the week-long tournament. “At times it appeared as if we were playing national teams,” Mchuda said of their competitors. Domestic rivals and eventual champions City Oilers made four new additions while Rwanda’s Patriots flew in Hamza Ruhezamihigo from Canada and former Oilers big man Kami Kabange. Mchuda is confident the experience gained will be invaluable as the regular season in the domestic league enters the final bend and the postseason playoffs looming.
Role players step up
Mchuda was also impressed by the contribution of the team’s bench with Nasser Guddi, Francis Kasinde and Sulaiman Bbbale impressing. With Betway Power proving too strong for their group opponents, Mchuda was able to call on his bench with Guddi averaging 11 points in the opening two games against ABC and Gonder City.
Makiadi makes starting five
There was further good news for the side with forward Michael Makiadi making the tournament starting five as the best small forward. “The award shows how good and how much work he has put in this season. It is also not a surprise that he also leads in points scored in the domestic league,” added Mchuda. Makiadi is averaging 18.5 points from 18 games for Power who next play Sharing Youth in the domestic league on Sunday.
Friday NBL fixtures
Ndejje University Vs Pemba Warriors @1800hrs
Then KIU Titans Vs UCU Canons @2000hrs
Saturday 14th at Lugogo
KIU Rangers Vs A1 Challenge @1300hrs
Gladiators Vs JKL Lady Dolphins @1500hrs
Nkumba Lady Marines Vs Javon Ladies @ 1700hrs
KIU Titans Vs Nkumba Marines @ 1900hrs
Sunday15th at YMCA
Magic Stormers Vs A1 Challenge 1100hrs
KIU Rangers Vs Having Ladies @1300hrs
Sharing youth Vs Betway Power @ 1500hrs
Ndejje University Vs Falcons @1700hrs