Namake and UCU Canons will face City Oilers in the best-of-five series
Brian Namake caught the pass, took one dribble to sidestep a lunging Pemba Warriors’ defender and quickly launched a killer overhead pass to shooting guard Steven Wundi. Namake momentarily ignored the flight of the ball, turning to stare at the defender he had just evaded.
He said nothing. He didn’t have to.
Wundi had failed to finish it off – Namake made a step forward, picked the rebound and threw buzzer-beater.
His game winning play announced that the UCU Canons were back to their usual dominance.
Namake produced a scoring flurry midway through the third quarter that transformed a taut game into a runaway Sunday night at YMCA Wandegeya, the Canons emerging with a 63-62 in Game 3 and 2-1 series victory over the Pemba Warriors during the Uganda National Basketball League playoffs.
Namake credited zippy ball movement and team hunger that freed him for a stretch
“We didn’t have to force anything,” Namake said, “so that was our brand of basketball.”
Before last week, UCU Canons and Pemba Warriors had previously met twice in the playoffs with the latter triumphing at both attempts.
Now Namake and the ‘nearly kings’ UCU face defending champions City Oilers in the best-of-five series hoping not to slip up like two seasons ago when they lead 2-0 only to lose three straight games.
Sunday results
CityOiler 69:65 UPDF Tomahawks
KIU Titans 77:57 Startimes Falcons
UCU Canons 63:62 Pemba Warriors
Semi finals – starting this Friday best of Five
Men:
Cityoil vs UCU canons
KIUTitans vs Power or Our Saviour
Women:
UCULady canons vs A1challenge
KCCALeopards vs ???
By Denis Okwi