FUBA National Basketball League-Playoffs 2018 (Game one)
MTN Arena Lugogo
Friday, 07-08-2018
-JKL Dolphins Vs Pemba Warriors @09:00 PM
-A1 Challenge Vs Nkumba Lady Marines @07:00 PM
Pemba Warriors will take on JKL Dolphins in game one of the best of three series when the 2018 Playoffs start at MTN Arena, Lugogo on Friday evening.
Warriors had a trying regular season that saw them lose 9 of their 22 games but the fact that they won both their duels against JKL should inspire Ronnie Mutebi’s side going into Friday night’s fixture.
Mutebi who oversaw Warriors lose to KIU Tiatans in the semi finals of last year’s playoff reveled his side is hungry for success.
“As a team in general, i believe we are ready and the guys are fit and mentally in good shape, said Mutebi ahead of the game.
“We are hungry and we want to stay hungry.
“What you should expect from us is the hunger for success.
About JKL, Mutebi had this to say:
“We are playing a rebounding team in JKL so it is going to go down to depth of each team.”
Warriors finished fourth on the log with 13 wins from 22 regular season games.
Against Friday’s opponents, Warriors won both regular season games, 58-46 and 76-69.
For JKL who finished fifth with 11 wins and as many losses in regular season, they will look to the armory of Brian Namake, Ivan Lumanyika, Libe Makala among others to inflict the necessary damage on Warriors.
The other day’s game will see A1 Challenge and Nkumba Lady Marines lock horns in the early kickoff.
A1 finished fourth in regular season with a 12-6 record while Nkumba finished one place below their opponents with 9-9 record from 18 games.
This tie is known for bringing together two teams with a balance in power majorly based from their log positions. However, A1 look the stronger of the two, not for only finishing above Nkumba but also the recent meetings.
A1 won both regular season games against Nkumba. They (A1) won 68-62 on June 30 before adding another 85-73 win a week later.
Both teams were supposed to face off last year at this stage, but A1 got a walkover as Nkumba Lady Marines had not presented their Hepatitis B cards to the league committee, by time of tip-off.
