The UCU Ladies basketball club edged KCCA Leopards 66-61 in a frenetic decisive game seven on Friday night at the Lugogo indoor stadium, to win their sixth women’s National Basketball League title in ten years, reports JOHN VIANNEY NSIMBE.
It was arguably the most riveting women’s basketball final series seen in years, with reactions to match at the end of it all. KCCA were inconsolable like they had been condemned.
Their captain Flavia Oketcho could not bring herself to collect the runners-up trophy. Yet for UCU, they were uncontrollably ecstatic; like they had made it to heaven.
They sang a church hymn, To God be the glory, which doubles as their university anthem after receiving the winner’s trophy. However, despite the eventual contrast of fortunes for the two teams, these series were remarkably close. This did not only make them protracted, but it was also a pointer to how both UCU and KCCA were winners.
Angella Lokamweri was part of the UCU team. She said: “As much as I am delighted about our efforts, I must give credit to KCCA. They gave us game; a tough one at that.”
Lokamweri’s coach Nick Natuhereza added that seeing how they won the first two games, before KCCA won three on the bounce, is indicative of how they also could have been deserving winners.
And indeed, going into game six, when UCU levelled the series to 3-3, the general feeling was that KCCA had wrapped up the series: “At least that is what we felt. We were confident in ourselves seeing how we had neutralized UCU’s strengths and exploited their weaknesses in the three games we won,” said KCCA coach Timothy Odeke.
But UCU came back stronger in games six and seven according to KCCA shooting guard Becky Akullo. “They hustled, battled and rushed us into making mistakes, which we had done in the earlier games. That is how they beat us,” Akullo added.
Seeing that KCCA, who started game seven terribly, being that at half- time they were 13 points behind, but came back to even lead at one time in the fourth quarter, shows it was too close to call, and basketball is what actually won.
PAST WINNERS
2016 -UCU Lady Canons
2015 – UCU Lady Canons
2014 -KCCA Leopards
2013 – UCU Lady Canons
2012 – KCCA Leopards
2011- UCU Lady Canons
2010 – UCU Lady Canons
2009 – KCCA Leopards
2008 – UCU Lady Canons
2007 – KCCA Leopards
2006 -Lady Bucks
2005 – A1 Challenge
2004 – Lady Bucks
2003 – Makerere Sparks
2002 – Lady Bucks