Falcons send warning

Results – Saturday
Riders 38-98 Falcons
Gulu 61-60 Heaters
Stormers57-41 Shooters
Ssaku 71-65 Bush Court
Women:
A1 125-28 Mak Cubs
Lady Bucks 56-85 KIU Rangers

For the past two years, the MTN-Fuba men’s division I league has been dominated by DMark Power and Kyambogo Warriors as Mountain Dew Falcons took an undesirable backseat. Power and Warriors have won the last two titles thereby almost wiping Falcons record six titles from everyone’s memory. Now Falcons have come out fighting as their 98-38 annihilation of Knight Riders at YMCA court, Wandegeya on Saturday night manifests.

Having lost Eric and Henry Malinga to Warriors and Steven Omony walking out, the odds are stuck against them. But the new cast is making a statement as Mike Buzangu, who joined from Rwanda’s APR, thrilled, hustled and bullied on his way to a game-high 21 points. It was the Entebbe side’s fourth defeat in their opening five games as the relegation fight is becoming all too familiar. His name is Mike Bazangu, a 6’3” former APR guard of Congloese origin. He’s got strength, speed, supreme skill and he is even showy -- all ingredients needed to make him an overnight favourite. Bazangu, would have finished with more points had he converted half of his multiple free-throws.

The guard’s display eclipsed those of two other Falcons debutantes, point guard Sudi Ulangu, who gunned an impressive 13, and big man Biennenue Ngandu, who picked eight.

But more importantly, it served to strengthen Falcons case as genuine title contenders. The record men’s champions were written off following the departure of Steven Omony and the Malinga brothers at the start of the season. But Falcons’ passionate owner John Simbwa has put together a side that looks solid, just two games into the season.

It also has Richard Osano, the 2009 Zone V MVP, who bagged 16 against Riders, for whom Moses Ebwonyu gunned 15 points.

Warriors sign Malinga bros

Any Falcons fan reading this will most likely shed tears.

Barely a month after falling out with Stephen Omony over nonpayment of wages, the MTN-Fuba League former champions have lost their best and arguably most consistent players – the Malinga brothers Henry and Eric.

And sadly for Falcons, the Malingas have crossed to league defending champions Warriors, a team seemingly harbouring ambitions of achieving what every other Ugandan club have failed to do. “After our achievements last season, we set very high targets for ourselves this term,” Warriors patron Ambrose Tashobya said yesterday while unveiling the Malingas alongside experienced guard Pascal Alule, who was acquired from KIU Titans.
“To hit our targets, we decided to look out for new talents. Hopefully these players are good enough to take us to new heights.”

Money details
Although refusing to reveal the amount of money spent on the trio, Tashobya, the sole sponsor of Warriors, revealed he was determined to build his side into African beaters. “We are trying to invest as much as we can to develop this team. We’ll continue putting in a lot of money until we are sure that Warriors can compete in Africa,” he said during the unveiling held at Rock Gardens, Kampala. Despite overpowering DMark Power to take the league title, Warriors represented but failed to record a win at the Fiba Africa Zone 5 Championship held last December in Kigali.

“We learnt many lessons in Kigali. We were exposed due to lack of maturity and these players will help us address that,” Tashobya, who is also the Fuba president, said. “We want to make an impression on the continent.” The Malinga brothers left Warriors to join Falcons in 2001, inspiring them to three league titles, the last one coming in 2007 and the East and Central Club Championship. Falcons have, however, struggled in the past two years and the departure of the duo leaves them in shambles. “I think I gave Falcons my best and don’t feel guilty at all,” Eric, who has been the Falcons captain, said

Ug B'ball Wrap
Makerere imports glass boards for tourney
For the first time in 47 years, this weekend’s Makerere University Open will not be hosted at the centrally-located pool court.“We are moving to main ground this year,” Makerere University senior sports tutor Peninah Kabenge told Daily Monitor. “We have upgraded the court there and it’s undoubtedly the best out door facility in Uganda at the moment,” she added.

Kabenge said they had imported glass fibre boards from China. “We have refurbished our sitting arena and the general environment points to a great tournament,” Kabenge noted. Makerere Open, the oldest tournament in Uganda, was last year blighted by chaos orchestrated by some rowdy students and Kabenge believes the change of venue will prevent the recurrence of such a situation. “There is a police post at the main ground and that should put to rest any worries about chaos.”

Makerere (men) and A-1 Challenge (women) emerged victorious in last year’s tournament but have to dig deeper trying to defend their titles starting Saturday.

Regional giants for UCU meet
East African regional basketball giants will be locking horns in Mukono this weekend as they battle in the first edition of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) invitational tournament. Rwanda league champions APR and Kenyan outfit KPA are the foreign teams expected to participate in what is expected to be a thrilling encounter. The proposed annual event has also attracted 12 local men’s teams including the league champions, Warriors.

Players moot code of conduct
Uganda Basketball Players Association has introduced a code of conduct so that action is taken against indiscipline players, president David Kiberu announced recently.

In line with FUBA, they also plan to introduce players’ licenses that identify a player registered in a team recognized by FUBA. These will be showed at the start of every game.
By Sande Bashaija

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