By Michael Ainomugisha
Uganda Christian University begins its 2025 FISU University World Cup 3×3 Basketball campaign tomorrow, 15 November, in Brasília, Brazil. The tournament officially opens today, 14 November. This marks UCU’s third consecutive appearance at the global event after earlier outings in Turkey in 2022 and Xiamen, China, in 2024.
The 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.
UCU remains one of the strongest African institutions in university basketball. The Canons and Lady Canons have now appeared in three of the last four FISU 3×3 World Cups, adding to a run that began in 2015.
During the flagging-off ceremony at the main campus in Mukono, head coach Nicholas Natuhereza said the teams were prepared and ready.
“As Team UCU, both men and women, we qualified for the FISU 3×3 World Cup after winning the FASU 3×3 AfroBasket Challenge. We have been preparing for the last couple of weeks and we think we are ready to go out there in Brazil and represent not just UCU and Uganda but also Africa at large. We are excited and hopefully we put on a good show for everyone.”
Vice Chancellor Professor Aaron Mushengyezi urged the teams to aim high.
“I want to congratulate our UCU 3×3 basketball team, the boys and girls, for the victory you registered when we thumped all the teams on the African continent and now have a chance to shine globally in Brasília. We have lifted the Ugandan trophies, East African trophies, African trophies. Now I want a global one. So let us go for it and bring it home,” he said.
Captain Shillah Lamunu of the Lady Canons said the players were ready for the challenge ahead.
“It has been a really great opportunity to be in UCU and to have the privilege to play basketball. We are very ready. We have one of the best coaches in the country. We expect to compete and do our best. Anything can happen. We could win the trophy and bring it back home,” she remarked.
UCU Head of Sports, Samuel Lukaire, highlighted the academic diversity of the team and the strong backing from the university.
“We have representation of students from Business, Law, Engineering, and Social Sciences. I want to thank the university administration for the support and for enabling this trip. We hope the UCU community will follow the games online as we continue to represent the university at the global level,” Lukaire said.
The men’s side first played at the FISU World Cup in 2019 and won one of their three games, beating the University of Otago from New Zealand. They averaged 19.3 points across their fixtures.
In 2022, they advanced from the group stage after winning two of three games before losing by one point to ITESM of Mexico in the quarter-finals. In 2024, they fell short and lost all their matches, averaging 11 points.
The Lady Canons also debuted in 2019, where they won one of their games against the University of Chile and averaged 9.7 points. The 2022 team lost their three group games but improved their scoring average to 11.7. In 2024, they again fell short, averaging 11 points.
The 2025 Lady Canons carry more experience into the event. Team Captain Shillah Lamunu and Martina Anyango played in several international 3×3 tournaments this year, including the U23 World Cup, the Women’s Series, and the Youth Nations League. Tracy Namugosa played at the 2024 FISU World Cup and returns as one of the more seasoned players. For the men, only Joel Kayiira has been on this stage before.
Both UCU teams punched their tickets to Brazil by winning the seventh Afro Varsity 3×3 Basketball Championship. The Canons defeated the University of Rwanda 21–19 in the semi-finals and defended their title by beating USIU Tigers 21–19 in a tense final. They are placed in Pool D with the University of Puerto Rico and Huaqiao University from China.
The Lady Canons beat Côte d’Ivoire’s AS INJS 20–17 in the semi-finals and later defeated USIU 19–15 in the final to secure their slot. They will compete in Pool A with the University of Chile and the University of Seville from Spain.
The games begin on 15 November. The men will face Huaqiao University at 7:05 pm and the University of Puerto Rico at 10:15 pm. The women will play the University of Seville at 4:00 pm and the University of Chile at 9:00 pm.
UCU’s history at the FISU 3×3 World Cup includes several noted rosters. In 2019, the men featured Fayed Baale, Fadhil Chuma, Isaiah Mabeny, and Caesar Adoke, while the women had Sarah Ageno, Brenda Kayaga, Rose Akon Macuei, and Maimuna Nabbosa.
In 2022, the men’s team included Fayed Baale, David Deng Kongor, Titus Odeke, and David Okello. The women were represented by Agatha Kamwada, Rose Akon Macuei, Hajara Najjuko, and Shakirah Nanvubya.
The 2024 squads had Jesse Okurut Marvin, Joel Kayiira, Zachariah Ekirapa, and Norbert Okidi for the men, while the women included Aber Bridget, Tracy Namugosa, Shakirah Nanvubya, and Aziidah Lubega.
Since 2015, UCU has been one of Africa’s most consistent participants at the FISU 3×3 World Cup. Their best results remain the men’s quarter-final finish and the women reaching the last 16, both achieved in 2022.
