Afridra primed for Fuba MVP award

Sportsmen and women never have a lifetime to write their names and actions in the hearts and minds of fans or history unlike a career like journalism. Until a journalist loses his penchant for the keyboard or voice, he or she can never stop.

It’s a job that can last for decades like celebrated interviewer Larry King managed. Some sports like athletics, rugby and tennis have few competitors who can boast a decade of experience.

Golf, basketball, cricket, motorsport and boxing often allow their stars do even 20 years if the hunger and drive to fight on stays within the person. So when that singular moment to rewrite history comes, every sportsman should take it with two arms, two legs and one mind like basketball star Isaac Afidra did.

Today, the Fuba awards dinner at Imperial Royale Hotel will celebrate the success of the past 12 months.
More importantly, basketball players gather at a venue where the biggest slam dunk is the MTN-Fuba League Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the playoffs.

The award goes to the player who raised his game and bailed out his team in a time adversity. That’s the moment Afidra stood tallest to give DMark Power a 4-3 series victory over Warriors in a compelling final.
The mention of his name drags memories to that big shot from downtown that gave Power a 97-96 lead with nine seconds to go in the final period of Game Seven.

It was a turning point of gigantic proportions. Warriors had a 12-point lead (89-77) with 5:12 to play before their grip on the title was loosened by two hands and a daring heart – Afidra’s.

This being a team sport, it’s hard to judge other players’ impact as Ben Komakech still had to win the championship with two free throws with two seconds to play.

Even before Komakech was fouled by Ronnie Kasewu, Afidra had scored a game-high 29 points and 15 rebounds to give Power a maiden first successful defence of the title.

Whereas, Komakech, a two-time winner is a contender for the MVP accolade, few sports use statistics to judge the difference that one player brings like basketball and cricket.

Forgive Ugandan basketball where stats beyond points have only come into the picture over the past two years. Prior to the finals, Power knew how big a challenge it was going to be to stop the Malinga brothers – Eric and Henry.

Double-doubles
Their fears were justified after just two games as the two poured a combined 64 points and 30 boards to give Warriors a 2-0 series lead with 88-73 and 80-61 triumphs.

Power were sinking especially because they could barely rebound.
Afidra, 6ft 1in, a forward, helped by Micahel Kojo, negated the Malingas. The brothers added a further 119 points and 62 rebounds in the next six games. The decline was majorly because of the Afidra show.

He had four double-doubles in the final four games of the series and led like the skipper Power want him to be. It’s easy for everyone to notice what Komakech or Warriors’ Ivan Enabu can do since they have the ball most of the time, but in Afidra, you find the x-factor.

The belief and faith we all never see kept his teammates fighting. It’s him who makes the quick transition, Power’s plan A to Z, work with the high ball to launch fast breaks.

No wonder, Afidra has now won four titles and sports scribes have since rewarded him with the last two Basketball Player of the Year awards. But he has not been as lucky when it comes to Fuba awards.

Back in 2008, the then Power technical director Peter Mubanda, argued for Afidra to awarded MVP instead of Komakech, but sounded crazy. Afidra might not have been a wise choice four years ago.

He has made his own case and not even Mubanda, now in Zimbabwe, can defend him more than he did. He still has Komakech to beat as the point guard finished with 121 points, the highest tally for anyone and Enabu, who brings crowds in plenty and changed the way Warriors play. The latter’s case is lessened by not winning the Holy Grail even though he has a compelling case too. Afidra edges it.

ikigongo@ug.nationmedia.com