Fuba launch season
Time To Ball. (L-R) City Oilers captain James Okello, KCCA captain Becky Aanyu, KIU captain Perus Nyamwenge and Nam Blazers captain Daniel Monojo during the launch of the National Basketball League at Hotel Africana. PHOTO / ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
- Funded. The season was launched yesterday at Hotel Africana with Tusker Lite unveilling a Shs200m boost to the league that will have some games telecast live.
The National Basketball League (NBL) is back. The new season tips off Friday evening at the MTN Arena, Lugogo.
The season was launched yesterday in Zambezi Hall at Hotel Africana, Kampala with Tusker Lite unveilling a Shs200m boost to the league and NEXT Media Services committing to have select games telecast on Sanyuka TV.
KCCA Leopards and KIU Rangers will open the season before Namuwongo Blazers dare seven-time winners City Oilers. “It has been long and we are excited to have the NBL back,” Fuba General Secretary Hudson Ssegamwenge said. The 2019 season, won by City Oilers and JKL Lady Dolphins, is the last campaign to have been played to completition.
There was no basketball in 2020 while the 2021 season was brought to an abrupt end due to Covid-19 lockdowns.
Increased package
Tusker’s Elizabeth Nsubuga revealed that the Shs200m would come in cash and in kind. It is an improvement from Shs100m that was injected into the last season. Oilers’ captain James Okello revealed his side are more than prepared for action and have targets beyond judt winning the league.
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“We have been preparing and we are ready to defend what belongs to us,” James Okello said.
“We nolonger compete for just this league but beyond,” he added.
The defending champions are coming off a morale-boosting win over UCU Canons in the final of the UCU Invitational Tournament.
No Warriors
Two-time winners Warriors will not be taking part in the season and it remains to be seen what happens to the team. According to Fuba, Warriors expressed no interest in playing this season and were not registered.
As per Fuba rules, any team that forfeits the league has to start from the lowest division.
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The Kyambogo based out will now have to negotiate their way back into the top flight from Division two.
Three to be relegated
With the NBL now having 13 teams as opposed to the original 12, three teams will be relegated at the end of this campaign and two promoted from Division One. This will see the top flight remain with the original number of 12 teams starting next season.
