By Dismas Nuwaine
Ndejje University triumphed in yesterday’s match against Kampala University, defeating them by a score of 64 to 58 in the men’s basketball encounter.
Kampala University took Ndejje by surprise in the first quarter, garnering 13 points to Ndejje’s 6 by the time the refree called the quarter quits.
Things were not looking good for the Wakiso-based side by the end of the second quarter, and they were still trailing by 6 points, having garnered 23 points to Kampala University’s 29 points.
Saving the best for last, Ndejje finally found their footing in the game as they came back in the third quarter to lead by a margin of one point on a score of 40 to 39 points. They sealed the game in the final quarter in scintillating fashion by a 6-point margin of 64 to 58 points.
“The game was tough from the beginning; we started on a low note, and our defenses were a bit shaky. They came with a lot of energy from the very start since this is their second game; they had already figured themselves out,” said John Omondi, coach at Ndejje University.
“They gave us a run for our money, and this was a wake-up call for us as a team. As much as we may be the defending champions, a lot of teams would want to have this championship,” said John.
The defending champions were to play against Kampala International University in their next game, and the coach was greatly confident that this would be a great booster for them going forward.
“This is one of the wins we are supposed to have. Every game matters, and this is a morale booster. Whatever we do right now matters. Beating Kampala University means that we have a better chance in the coming games.
Nkumba outclasses Makerere
In the second game of the evening, the Nkumba men’s basketball team defeated Makerere by 62 points to 42. This loss follows that of the Makerere ladies basketball team, which fell short at the hands of UCU’s Lady Canons by over a margin of 65 points.
In the first quarter, Nkumba started with a statement win, scoring 16 points to Makerere’s 11 points. They kept their focus and stamina in the second quarter, adding another 21 points to take their point tally to 37 against Makerere’s 25 points.
The Nkumba tacticians kept their cool through the rest of the two quarters and emerged victorious with a staggering margin of 20 points.
UCU Continues Winning Ways
The Uganda Christian University Canons humbled Gulu University, winning by a margin of 32 points. This marked the Canons second straight win in a row.
The Canons had to come back from behind in their earlier game against Bugema University to win the tie in overtime, 69 to 65. This came after the two sides had hit a dreadlock on 57 points in normal time.
This second win boosts the Canons chances to advance from the group with the most points. The defeat against Bugema has given the Canons maximum resilience.