Together with the late Tabuley Rochereau and Madilu System, that trio made blockbuster music, using the guitar, and to this day, their sounds are legendary. Last Friday, March 1, in the National Basketball League (NBL), it was the big one.
The nine-time defending champions, City Oilers taking on the Namuwongo Blazers. While it appeared slated to be a routine victory for the Oilers, few would have predicted that like the long-gone Makiadi, who passed on in 1989, there would be another one, this time in a basketball frame, that would make that name resound again at least once.
Well in Michael Makiadi, whose display at the Lugogo indoor stadium, inspired the Blazers to a 60-54 victory in such an unfathomable manner. Two days before this clash, the Blazers had unveiled Britam Asset Management and Insurance as their new shirt sponsor, to a tune of Shs 40m, the first half of this package, remitted last October.
Inevitably, there was bound to be pressure on the Blazers coming into the game. They had attracted a lot of attention, including bringing former Assistant Inspector General of Police Asan Kasingye to the indoor as one of their fans. Nothing could go wrong on the night.
Yet, the Blazers seemed to be struggling with Oilers’ flow and fine ball distribution, that to this day, has ensured their countless domestic success. At halftime, Oilers led 36-28. But at some stage in the game, the lead was in double figures. Blazers needed something to give.
And indeed, something gave in the shape of Makiadi. The Power-forward/centre, who seemed to struggle to score, with several of his shots failing to drop (he only mustered four points in 40 minutes), just stepped it up in defence, to stop Oilers.
With five blocks and 18 rebounds, he topped the rest on both teams on the defensive side, an act he largely pulled off in the second half. It was unimaginable that Oilers could only manage 18 points in two quarters of basketball. Yet, that is what Makiadi ensured. But he did all this with his right knee strapped, as he limped through the game and when he could afford it, he grimaced in paid.
However, despite all that, and many fans calling on his coach, Stephen Nyeko to substitute him, to save him, Makiadi kept going, playing out a whopping 35 of the 40 minutes.
“There is no way I could get off. We have so many injuries and, therefore, I had to die a little for my team. This game was so important to us,” Makiadi said.
His teammate, Paul Odong (McGyver) added, that the team’s defensive strategy was resoundingly executed by Makiadi. Makiadi was the plan to stop Oilers’ offence because he plays good support defence.
While Joseph Chuma may have been the popular pick for best player on the day, following his high scoring, Makiadi was testament that defence wins games.
Makiadi, 33, has played in the NBL for at least eight years, turning out for Knight Riders earlier on, before KIU Titans, Power and Oilers itself. But he has never won a championship here. Yet, he won in Rwanda with Patriots, in Burundi with Dynamo, and Coop Bank in his home country, Kenya. He is desperate to win here now with Blazers, to etch another Makiadi name fondly into the hearts of Ugandans!
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