Nakiyingi awaiting her Gazelles opportunity
JKL Lady Dolphins' Nakiyingi is doing all to get picked. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Four point guards were summoned and each has a case and an opportunity to impress new head coach Alberto Atuna.
Of the 15 Uganda Gazelles players training for the Zone V Afrobasket Qualifiers, nine will be hoping to make their debut.
Amongst those is JKL Lady Dolphins point guard Evelyn Nakiyingi, one of the best players of her generation.
It is the first time she is getting a chance with the Gazelles.
“It’s a big learning platform for me. Lots of things to learn and unlearn,” the point guard told Daily Monitor after Tuesday’s training session at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium.
“I have been looking forward to this opportunity. I have played for the U-18 team before and from there I always wanted to get such a platform.
But Nakiyingi is not there yet. First, she has to make the final 12 for the qualifiers and there is competition for slots.
Four point guards were summoned and each has a case and an opportunity to impress new head coach Alberto Atuna.
Flavia Okecho has not trained with the team yet but being the captain, her place might be guaranteed.
There is the experienced Angella Namirimu and another young upcoming point guard Shakirah Nanvubya, who helped the UCU Lady Canons to the championship against Nakiyingi’s JKL last October.
The 24-year-old is, however, doing her thing in training to make the cut.
“We all have our own strengths. What I can do, they might not be able to do. There is always something that the other player is better at.”
Since making her debut in the league in 2018, Nakiyingi has played with Okecho and Namirimu, something that helped shape her game.
She exudes the calmness of Namirimu and adds a decent three-point shot to make her hard to play against.
“I’m excited for the opportunity and working to make the final team.”
At 5’6 and weighing 58kgs, Nakiyingi is a small unit with a big brain.
Her shot making and floor management makes her stand out of the rest.
Namirimu, who played with Nakiyingi at JKL for two seasons, is a big fan.
“She has a unique style of play and reads the game well,” the KCCA Leopards captain told this paper.
“She is small but confident in her abilities and every time she plays, she makes the team better,” she added.
Having graduated from St. Mary’s Secondary School, Kitende, Nakiyingi went on to win two league championships and the Zone V championship.
Evelyn Nakiyingi
Age: 24 years
Height: 5’6
Weight: 58kg
Club: JKL Lady Dolphins
League championships: Two
Zone V Club Championship: One
