UCU Canons will start the 2026 FUBA National Basketball League season without centre Joel Kayiira, who signed with ten-time champions City Oilers. He leaves UCU as one of the most consistent local big men of the past three seasons.

In what looked like a fully dominated game by UCU, who tussled it out with MUBS, ended in a thrilling 80-51 win for Canons, with an exceptional performance of the afternoon.

Ciella Igiraneza and Sharifa Nalwada spilled all KU Eagles’ hopes with tomenting three points shots which mazimized UCU Lady Canons’ points in the four quarters respectively.

UCU Lady Canons opened their title defense at the Association of Ugandan University Sports basketball championship with a dominant win over Kyambogo University at the UCU court 2.

UCU delegation touched down in Brasília on the night of 12 November after a long flight from Entebbe. Both the men’s and women’s teams arrived safely and settled into the athletes’ village ahead of Thursday’s official opening. Their arrival followed weeks of preparation that started immediately after they qualified at the continental championships.

To qualify for the tournament, both the UCU Lady Canons and Canons defeated the United States International University-Africa (USIU) in a qualifying tournament hosted by Makerere University at HAMZ Stadium, Nakivubo, earlier this year, and USIU qualified for the World Cup as runners-up.