UCU Canons, KCCA take NBL bronze

For any team that makes the semifinals of a championship, the goal is to play in the finals and go on to lift the title.

But two of the four teams at that level have to contend with playing in a third-place playoff game as a result of failure to make the big stage.

In the National Basketball League, all the attention is now on Wednesday, when the finals series tip off at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium but there was a matter to sort on Sunday with UCU Canons and KCCA Leopards ending the season with bronze.

KCCA, who lost to the KIU Rangers in the final game of regular season to finish fourth, got their revenge when it mattered most.

The Rangers finished third after two rounds of regular season but fell to fourth with Sunday’s 71-61 loss.

KIU edged the first quarter 17-16 but when the Leopards took the second 17-10 to lead 33-27, there was no turning back.

The Kasasiro Girls then edged the second half 38-34 to take bronze.

Rebecca Aanyu and Angella Namirimu led the Leopards’ offense with 20 and 16 points respectively.

Becky Longom gathered 14 rebounds while  Sylvia Nakazibwe dished out seven assists for Ali Mavita’s troops.

Roger Sserunyigo’s Rangers had Perus Nyamwenge and Ninette Uwineza scoring 19 and 12 respectively.

The Rangers have been one of the teams to watch this season but saw their good run ended by UCU Lady Canons in the semis.

Despite putting up close contests with the big sides in the regular season, the Kansanga outfit could not avoid a clean sweep by the Lady Canons.

For KCCA, the victory comes as a sigh of relief after a tough campaign that ended with a sweep by defending champions JKL Lady Dolphins.

In the other Men’s clash, the KIU Titans got out of the blocks early to take the first quarter 26-11 and even lead 38-27 at the half.

But it was the 2019 finalists UCU Canons that had the perfect end to the season with a nail-biting 69-68 victory.

Results 

KIU Rangers 61-71 KCCA 

UCU Canons 69-68 KIU Titans