Quite frankly, at the start of the Div II season, you could never have put the Entebbe based Archers Basketball club in the finals which is exactly where they’re. You can’t say the same for their opponents Kampala Rockets who wowed the crowds and somewhat got that favorites tag after obliterating Renor Duhaga with electrifying plays in their season opener.
You hear a lot, that the playoffs are a different ball game, the Archers being the perfect testament to that. How the Archers got to the finals was absolute magic, almost failing to make the top eight and salvaging their post season chances by beating Crane high in their regular season climax in Entebbe. Well, this should have been a sign that they had built thick skin and a reputation for killing giants. Crane high had the longest unbeaten streak in Div II going 8 games unbeaten but when it came to the Archers claiming their playoffs spot, they cared less who lay along the way.
As karma would have it, Archers who were seeded 7th and had to face off with 2nd seeded Crane High in the quarter finals. They overcame Crane High only to meet Emperors in the semi-final. With the series tied 1-1 after game II, Nibert Byamukama hit a crucial game winner from outside the arc to give the Archers a 1 pt win over Emperors in game III and the promotion to Div I and a finals showcase that’s the dream of every team that competes in Div II.
On the other side, Kampala Rockets was sweeping through every series like a tornado and along the way collecting a wave of fans from their dazzling and seamless plays. I must mention, you just get to love the Kampala Rockets – They make basketball fun to watch.
In the finals, Archers could have gone away with game I after having quite a lead but blowing it in the final 3 minutes to lose 87:81. Game II was the exact reversal of game I, because this time Kampala Rockets blows a 16 point advantage only to lose by a point.
Here we are now, finals series (best of 5) tied at 1-1. You can say that nobody expected the Archers to be here but they’re here and they showing all their doubters that they belong.
CeeBee.
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