Wednesday June 7
Falcons 51-86 Power
Marines 56-94 Dolphins
BASKETBALL. Betway Power continued to show that they are this season’s team to beat as the five-time league champion recorded a convincing 35point gap victory over StarTimes Falcons in the first game of a long Wednesday evening at YMCA court in Wandegeya.
Record seven -time league champions Falcons who are still struggling with squad depth, continued to miss the services of Vinnie Jurua, Dickson Asiku and Francis Tumusiime. Head coach Bernis Ankunda, who was taking charge of the team for the first time, only had six players available. That squad depth proved too shot to stand the test of a resurgent Betway Power side that has been picking up wins effortlessly.
Power coach Arnold Lando and his assistant Chris Kyebambe were not bothered by the absence of Julius Wapera, Martin Tyron, Anthony Lwal and new signing Diego Anghemi as his boys managed to pick a third consecutive win of the season.
Unstoppable Makiadi
Michael Makiadi proved pivotal in the victory as he led the way with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists as the rock solid tower of a player continued to show that he’s the best shooter in the league and having the best shooting accuracy converting all four of his free throws on the night.
Falcons’ Bernard Okumu had a good game, too, but his 19 points were not enough to rescue his side as they suffered defeats in their opening two games of the season,following their defeat to JKL Dolphins recently.
Power’s Fahmy Ssebatindira, the shortest man on the court, had a dream evening converting five three-pointers from his seven attempts, taking his tally to 15 points. The dream moment for Ssebatindira came in the last minutes of the last quarter of the game, a significant moment that also sealed Falcon’s fate.
Joseph Ikong, the Power captain who only managed 8 points on the night, said the victory was all down to hard work.
“Every game between Power and Falcons is a tough one. Falcons are a big team,” Ikong said. “We won because we followed the coach’s game plan, but above all, it was hard work and those shooting that made us win tonight.”
In the last game of the night, Phillipe Jean Pemha and Ferdinand Odama scored 20 and 18 points, respectively, as Boniface Okello’s JKL Dolphins hammered Timothy Odeke’s Nkumba Marines 94-56.
The National Basketball League resumes tonight at MTN Arena Lugogo with six fixtures on the roaster.
Javon ladies vs Magic Stormers
A1 Challengers vs KCCA leopards
Pemba Warriors vs UPDF tomahawks
Betway Power vs Sharing Youth
KIU titans vs Our Saviour
UCU Cannons vs City Oilers.
