Results – Zone V
UCU 46-59 Co-op
CSK 62-72 Miracle
Women
Berco 63-48 KCC
Today – Fuba League
Ndejje v Nkumba (7.30pm)
Miracle Eagles lifted the mood of the Ugandan contingent at the Fiba Africa Zone V Club Championships with a hard fought 72-62 victory over Rwanda’s CSK Marines on Wednesday evening in Bujumbura, Burundi.
On a day when UCU Canons lost 46-59 to defending champions Co-operative Bank (Kenya) to join Kyambogo Warriors on the return journey home, Miracle’s win offered almost sufficient respite.
They too had to work extremely hard as CSK led 21-15, 18-12 and 9-12 through the first three quarters respectively. With a third straight defeat glaring in their faces, coach Brian Rugyendo’s side burst out of their shells to take the penultimate period 23-14.
The tournament is Miracle’s first appearance at the annual regional event, coming weeks after signing former Mountain Dew Falcons star Stephen Omony. Nonetheless, their biggest remains reaching this year’s MTN-Fuba League play-offs.
UCU couldn’t find their second gear in their loss to the five-time Kenyan champions, trailing 6-13, 17-12, 12-20 and 11-14 through the four periods. Elsewhere, KCC Leopards joined the rush for the exit after going down 48-63 to Burundi’s Berco Stars in group B.
Having won a game, a 75-71 result against Tanzania’s Jeshi Stars, KCC fared narrowly better than UCU Lady Canons, the other women’s side. UCU were bundled out from group A on Wednesday after three losses in as many games.