Fuba League
Men: Betway Power 64-65 Pemba Warriors
Women: JKL Lady Dolphins 57-58 KCCA Leopards
BASKETBALL–Pemba Warriors required overtime to consolidated top spot in the men’s National Basketball League standings with a 65-64 win over fellow title contenders Betway Power.
After four quarters of play the teams could not be separated at 57 apiece and Warriors had to wait till Micheal Bazangu converted one of his two free throws in the last eleven seconds of the overtime to win it.
Power went into the first half trailing 29-35 but soon bounced back and went into the lead 42-41 with just over a minute to play in the third quarter after captain Joseph Ikong converted a jump shot.
From there to the end of normal time, the teams were hard to separate with the lead changing hands four times in the next twelve minutes.
Power took a four-point lead after two minutes of the five in over time but allowed Warriors to come back due to several defensive errors and the only lead that the latter held in the period proved vital as the final buzzer went.
Micheal Bazangu top-scored on the night with 23 just one ahead of first round MVP Micheal Makiadi (Betway Power). Makiadi’s leading 17 rebounds on the night only helped him consolidate his leading role in the department but could not inspire his team to a much needed win on the night.
Warriors coach Ronnie Mutebi was quick to highlight the significance of the win after the game.
“When you win against your nemesis, you get the much needed confidence going into the next fixtures and I hope my players are pushed on further by the win tonight because this was just one of the hard games that come our way in the second round,” Mutebi said.
Warriors top the league table with an impressive 11-1 record while Power, the league top scorers with 881 points, are second with a 9-3 record.
In the other game played on the night (Ladies Division), Moreen Amoding inspired KCCA Leopards to a 58-57 win over Flavia Oketcho-led JKL Lady Dolphins to maintain top spot.
The NBL returns on Sunday with four games in the men’s division.
StarTimes Falcons vs Sharing Youths
UPDF vs UCU Cannons
Nkumba Marines vs Ndejje Angels
JKL Dolphins vs Our Savior
In the ladies Division on Sunday, Gladiators Basketball Club takes on the KIU Rangers.
