by Sande Bashaija
Wandegeya
Friday results
DMark Power 76-56 KIU
Leopards 75-55 Rangers
Today at YMCA
KIU v DMark Power 8pm
Kampala City Council (KCC) Leopards booked their place in the MTN-Fuba League finals after dismissing Kampala International University (KIU) Rangers 75-55 on Friday night at YMCA Wandegeya.
Timothy Odeke’s women swept the best-of-five semi-final play-off series 3-0. “The team have the belief and I think they can win the championship this year,” KCC Leopards coach Odeke revealed after watching his girls stroll over the hapless KIU Rangers. KCC Leopards are likely to face 2005 champions A-1 Challenge in the best-of-seven finals.
Men’s defending champions DMark Power would have loved to tread the same path like Leopards but still have a battle to negotiate before they can secure a place in the final.
The champions recorded a dramatic 76-56 victory over KIU on Friday to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series and must now win today to make their second straight final appearance. After taking a 23-4 first quarter lead, Power were battered 25-8 in the second session and looked like they had recorded one of the biggest collapses in league history only for KIU to run out of steam when it mattered most. Led by an inspirational Norman Blick (18 points) and Joseph Ikong (12), Power drubbed KIU 28-10 in the third quarter, setting the tone for the final quarter which ended in a training session of sorts for the champions.
“We need to try and stop their three-pointers in the next game (today),” Power senior player Isaac Afidra (9) noted. “If we lay back like we did, the Sunday (today) game will be very difficult.” Despite reporting late for the game, KIU captain Markmot Orom came on in the second quarter and managed a team high 17 points, 15 of them off three-point shots.
Michael Karuiki who has also had a good season so far for the University side added 13 including two from outside the arc, which in a way exposed Power’s defence. KIU’s Mande Juruni admitted that they had failed to stick to their game plan and got disorganised by some players’ late coming.