Okurut takes down Blazers, unbeaten no more
UCU Canons' Joel Kayiira races past a pain-stricken Jimmy Enabu of Nam Blazers. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
With just six seconds left on the game clock and the Blazers leading 61-59, Okurut found himself with enough space to launch from three-point range as his primary defender, Ivan Muhwezi found his way around Joel Kayira’s screen.
Marvin Jesse Okurut is the name on everyone’s lips in the National Basketball Leaguecircles right now.
The guard was the difference as the UCU Canons condemned the Namuwongo Blazers to their first defeat of the season with a hard-fought 62-61 victory Friday night.
With just six seconds left on the game clock and the Blazers leading 61-59, Okurut found himself with enough space to launch from three-point range as his primary defender, Ivan Muhwezi found his way around Joel Kayira’s screen.
And with ice in his veins, he drilled the shot to steal the win and send the crowd into wild celebrations.
“When coach drew the play on me, I just told my big man to screen hard,” Okurut said after the game.
‘When I came out and saw the opponent a little bit late, I was like this is it,” he added.
The Blazers had used up their timeouts by the time Okurut’s shot went in and ran out of time to strike back.
Michael Makiadi’s connection from distance with 1.03 left on the clock looked to have done the job for the table leaders but Jimmy Enabu slipped with the ball in the half court and was robbed by Kayira, whose dunk made it 60-59 with 14 seconds left.
Ibanda Lwabaga fouled Joel Lukoji in transition as the Canons looked to buy time. The Congolese guard only made one of the two free throws and Canons head coach Nicholas Natuhereza used his last time out to draw the game-clinching play.
“For me the issue is not about ending their run but rather getting a win against a good opponent like them (Blazers),” Natuhereza said after the game.
He added: “These things happen. A team can be on a good run but at some point, they are going to lose a game.”
“The game was close and competitive. If we lost the game I wouldn't complain too much.”
From tip-off, the Canons showed that it would be a close contest against a team projected by many to end City Oilers’ run of 11 straight titles.
The university side, led by Lwabaga, led 16-13 at the end of the first quarter but were pegged back to trail 31-29 going into the halftime break.
UCU then bounced back to claim the third frame 15-11 and lead 44-42 going into the last 10 minutes of the game.
But the moment Tonny Drileba drove to the basket to level matters at the start of the fourth, momentum had swung the Blazers' way and the Canons had to dig deep.
And it took Okurut’s magical shot to settle the contest that ended with all Canons players in a heap as celebrations kicked off.
The Blazers defeated UCU 82-72 in the first round and went on to win 16 straight games before Friday.
Lwabaga, the only UCU player to score in double figures on the night, got 14 points and seven rebounds, with Jimmy Otim coming off the bench to contribute eight points.
For the Blazers, Makiadi came off the bench to score 14 points while Drileba added 12 and six rebounds. Friday action started with the UCU Lady Canons defeating JT Lady Jaguars 71-62.
National Basketball League
Results
M: UCU 62-61 Nam Blazers
W: JT L. Jaguars 62-71 UCU
