By Michael Ainomugisha
KCCA 73 – 69 UCU, 11th April 2025.
UCU 63 – 77 Victoria Crocs, 13th April 2025.
The UCU Canons endured a difficult weekend in the National Basketball League (NBL), suffering back-to-back defeats that raise questions about the team’s ability to close out games under pressure.
On Friday, April 11, the Canons fell narrowly to the KCCA Panthers in a 73-69 loss at Lugogo Arena.
Despite a strong second quarter in which they outscored their opponents 24-10, the Canons struggled in the final period—managing just 13 points while allowing KCCA to seal the game with 21. The loss came after a commanding 64-42 win over Rezlife Saints, which had momentarily suggested a turning point for the Mukono side.
Two days later, on Sunday, April 13, the Canons were outclassed in a university derby against Victoria University Crocs, losing 77-63 in a game where their offensive rhythm collapsed late. While UCU put up competitive numbers in the first three quarters—19, 24, and 18 points—they shockingly scored only two points in the entire fourth quarter, allowing the Crocs to pull away with a 15-point final-period performance.
The weekend losses mark three defeats in four games for the Canons in the 2025 NBL season. Worryingly, a pattern has emerged: UCU is consistently unable to finish strong. In their season opener against Kampala Rockets, they surrendered a lead in the final quarter to lose 67-61. Against KCCA, they had clawed back into the game with a huge second quarter but could not maintain momentum when it mattered most.
Head coach Nicholas Natuhereza acknowledged the team’s late-game struggles after the loss to KCCA Panthers.
“I think we didn’t meet the physical demands of today’s game. We had a bit of control towards the end of the third quarter, but we let our guard down, didn’t execute offensively as we should have, and gave away some easy points down the stretch,” he said.
The Canons’ defensive effort has been present at times, but breakdowns in concentration and bad execution in the last stretch have cost them important victories.
As the season proceeds, UCU ought to solve these issues as soon as possible to prevent falling further behind in what promises to be a highly competitive NBL season.
The Canons will return to action on April 19 with a home game versus Sommet Basketball Club at UCU Mukono, which might provide a much-needed momentum reset
