OBB want more than just third place finish

Soaring spiker. Ivan Ongom leaps high to spike during their win over Nemostars. PHOTO/ISMAIL KEZAALA

What you need to know:

  • Refurbished. The Iganga-based debutants closed off the first round of the volleyball league with an 8-1 record, level with giants Nemostars and Sport-S.
  • Third position is good enough for a playoffs spot and OBB will be looking to maintain that and make the business end of the season on first attempt.

Orange Block Busters (OBB) have announced their arrival in the top volleyball division by finishing third after round one of the season.

Their 8-1 record means they are as good as Nemostars and Sport-S but with a few more sets lost.
The Iganga-based side lost seven sets compared to Nemostars’ six and Sport-S’ five but all three are level on 24 points going into the last nine games of the regular season.

Asked by this publication whether his side can maintain the form and go on to challenge for the title, head coach Lawrence Yakan responded with a straight yes.

“Of course that’s (winning the league) is every team’s target at the end of the day,” Yakan said.

“For now we are going back to the drawing board to study what went wrong and where we messed up as a team. We will then work upon our weaknesses and be ready for the second round.”

In Ivan Ongom and Mark Okurut, Yakan has some experience in the squad and will hope the two raise to the occasion whenever the stakes are high.

Setter John Bosco Opendi also has experience in plenty but has not played that much in the first nine games.
He was, however, pivotal in the 3-1 win over Nemostars when he replaced a struggling Hussein Adome in the second set.
Ongom is confident but cautious ahead of the second round.

“First, we have to protect third place and aim higher in the top positions come second round,” he told this paper.

“We’ll need more focus from all players especially when we play the big teams.”

Third position is good enough for a playoffs spot and OBB will be looking to maintain that and make the business end of the season on first attempt.