Sande Bashaija
Wandegeya
Losing to Warriors was a bitter pill to swallow for DMark Power and their fans. Power surrendered their MTN-Fuba League title after losing 86-87 to Warriors in Game Five of the final series at YMCA on Wednesday, failing to become only the third local team to win back-to-back championships.
Only Falcons and Nkumba Marines have managed to defend the trophy before. Prior to the play-offs, Power had lost only once in the league and were tipped by many to roll over Warriors in the seven-game series. Their start was so promising but, Warriors stepped up gear and swept four games in a row.
“I think Warriors were a better prepared side,” Isaac Afidra, who captained Power to last year’s title, admitted. “But we shall come back strongly next year and win the championship,” he added. Despite a poor start to the game, Power came into within a point of victory on Wednesday and should have nipped the game had it not been for a few errors.
“We came out determined to win today and we did everything in our powers,” Afidra noted. With four seconds to the end, Joseph Ikong had earned the right to score two free throws after he had been fouled by Warriors’ Carol Bisereko.
Ikong, though, was penalised for trying to con the referee and instead earned himself a technical foul and surrendered the shooting rights. “That call to some extent cost us the game,” asserted Afidra.