Revamp |Miracle wants Rugyendo

MIRACLE Basketball Club is eyeing Brian Rugyendo as at the Rubaga based side for the 2010 season that kicks off in April. The team management has been looking around for a fresh mind that can take the team to play-offs after failing to impress in the 2009 season.

Signing a new coach in Sam Obol and 2008 regular season top scorer Boniface Okello from Nkumba Marines, Douglas Uwizera and Brian Ssentongo from Falcons among the eight new players, looked like the answer to their hard earned mediocre status in the recent years. Two wins in the first seven games of first round saw the club sack one of Uganda’s renowned point guards, Obol who failed to impress as coach despite winning a women’s league title with Makerere Sparks in 2003.

Rugyendo has been at the club as a player for over three seasons and understands the structure of the club. “We are still in talks but await positive communication in the near future,” he said. Kyambogo Warriors coach Gad Eteu has meanwhile dismissed what he called unfounded rumours linking him with a move to D’Mark Power.

courtesy newvision.co.ug

Falcons’ opponents have every reason to get worried.

The six-time MTN-Fuba League champions have coughed Shs50m for the signature of lethal point guard Ivan Enabu, Daily Monitor has learnt.

“He has signed a draft contract pending amendments,” Falcons marketing manager Dennis Mbidde said yesterday. Although Mbidde was not willing to discuss the financial details of the deal that will see Enabu sign the second biggest contract in Uganda after Falcons star Stephen Omony’s Shs72m deal, sources revealed that the UCU Canons star would be paid a Shs2m sign-on fee and Shs0.5m monthly salary.

The club will also secure the player a job. Arguably Uganda’s most exciting player, Enabu is contracted to UCU Canons until next month and will become a free player thereafter. Falcons have already completed the signing of Zone 5 MVP Richard Osano from Kenya Commercial Bank and are expected to add two more stars (a Tanzanian and Rwandan).

“We are trying to make sure that we regain our place,” Falcons patron John Ssimbwa said. “Falcons are not used to being second best, that’s why we want to have a stronger team this season.”
Omony record deal

Falcons last year signed Omony for the mega deal from Seychelles side Hawks but could only finish fourth in the 10-team league.

They lost to eventual champions Warriors 3-2 in the best-of-five semi-final series and fell to KIU in the third place play-off match. The addition of Enabu will most likely make them the team to beat in the season starting next month. Ssimbwa has, however, cautioned his star players to stay focused.
“At Falcons, we do our things as a team. We don’t give individual contributions too much attention,” he said. Enabu, Osano and other new signings will be unveiled next week, according to Mbidde.

By Sande Bashaija of Daily Monitor

Basketball Players Want Association

NATIONAL basketball league players are in the process of forming an association. The group has been engaged in several meetings and is reported to be nearing their target.

“We have so far picked an interim committee to lead the process,” said Mountain Dew Falcons forward Eric Malinga. The interim team has D’Mark Power’s David Kiberu as president, Mavita Ali (A-1 Challenge) secretary, Steve Omony (Falcons Right in Red) and Albert Ahabwe as organising and publicity secretaries respectively.

The association seeks to protect players’ rights among other duties. “We expect players from all the four divisions to come on board so that we can move forward,” Malinga observed.

Basketball coaches have an association already.

Usher Komugisha/ newvision.co.ug

Awards |Kasewu, Hamala crowned best pick of 2009 season

FUBA C2009 Champions, Kyambogo Warriors recieve their cheque

Ronnie Kasewu was Saturday night crowned MTN-Fuba League play-offs Most Valuable Player (MVP) and his team Kyambogo Warriors given Shs3m for emerging 2009 champions.

Play-offs MVP (m)
Ronnie Kasewu (Warriors)
Women: Miriam Hamala

Regular season MVP (m)
Norman Blick (Power)
Women: Kassim Hatima

Top scorers
Isaac Afidra (Power)
Loraine Akinyi (UCU)

Division 2
Top scorer
Tobias Ebolias

Regular season MVP
William Odong

Play-offs MVP
Roma Anania

Division 3
Top scorer
Frank Ikabat

Regular season MVP
Sam Akuddo

Play-offs MVP
Abdul Dimisto

Ronnie Kasewu was Saturday night crowned MTN-Fuba League play-offs Most Valuable Player (MVP) and his team Kyambogo Warriors given Shs3m for emerging 2009 champions. Kasewu beat teammates Martin Okwako and Abdullahi Ramathan to the award while Norman Blick edged his compatriot Isaac Afidra enroute to winning the regular season gong, much to the surprise of the crowd at Imperial Royale Hotel. “Much as it is an individual award, I want to thank my teammates who got me up there,” Kasewu said in his acceptance speech at the glamorous awards ceremony sponsored by MTN.

“You guys (teammates) helped me improve my game and hope we can do this again next year.” Afidra picked up the First Division top scorer’s award but justifiably left Imperial Royale an unhappy man for being denied the regular season MVP title. “This is Ox’s award,” Afidra said while dedicating the award to former teammate Wilbrod Oketcho, who died in 2008. Fuba technical committee chairman William Musaazi defended Blick’s selection, saying he was the deserving winner. “We considered discipline and contribution to the team and Norman stood out,” said Musaazi. KCC Leopards skipper Miriam Hamala took the women’s play-offs MVP award while A-1 Challenge’s Kassim Hatima was voted the best in the regular season.

For outwitting top sides like Falcons and DMark Power, Warriors’ Gad Eteu was named coach of the year, taking home a fully-connected mobile phone and Shs 0.2m worth of airtime.

Play-offs | Inspired Warriors reach Fuba final  

Warriors earned the right to stand a chance of dethroning champions DMark Power with an energetic display that dispatched the Mountain Dew-sponsored Falcons 79-62 under prefect weather on Saturday night at YMCA, Wandegeya. The capacity crowd witnessed an often one-sided game as Warriors came through the bruising best-of-five semifinal series 3-2 to reach the finals for the second time in three years as they moved a step closer to breaking their trophy duck.

“All we needed to do is show maturity which has been our problem,” said Warriors’ coach Gad Eteu told Daily Monitor. Omony fouls out Falcons had come from 2-0 down to force a decisive game but fell just short as star guard Stephen Omony, signed for Shs72m from Seychelles’ PSL Hawks in the off-season, fouled out with two minutes and 12 seconds left in the final quarter. >> More

ZONE 5 GAMES | Ugandan Sides Fall to Their Kenyan Counterparts

Ugandan sides, Kampala City Council-KCC women and Warriors men fell to Kenyan sides, Kenya ports Authority-KPA women and Cooperative Bank, respectively in the 2009 FIBA Africa Zone 5 Championships in Kampala, Uganda. KCC fell 67-45 to defending champions, Kenya ports Authority-KPA, while Warriors were hit by Cooperative Bank 53-47 in a tough duel. >> Read More On Zone Five Games