Livingstone is the FUBA Division 1 Champion of 2023. Livingstone dominated JT Jaguars in the tie breaking game five to win 65-53. The FUBA Division 1 Finals are a best of five series that Livingstone won 3-2.  Despite winning game one in overtime, Livingstone lost game two and three marginally. Jaguars will forever wonder how they smoked game four when they led by up 16 points in the fourth quarter only for Livingstone to win 69-67. When Livingstone had turned that corner of overcoming a 16 point deficit in the fourth quarter of game four, the gap between the possible and the aspirational had narrowed significantly, they came into game five very confident and assertive in exact contrast to the Jaguars who’d gotten very cautious and perhaps dampened by the game four loss.

Livingstone talisman Bismarck Omoya was awarded the season’s Most Valuable Player award with his season tally of 13.4 points per game , 8.4 rebounds per game and 5.3 steals per game while shooting 47.7 percent in the 2FG range. Omoya won his second MVP award in three years having been voted MVP while Livingstone won the Division 2 Championship in 2021. Oscar Byomuhangi, the Livingstone pointguard was named the FUBA Division 1 Point Guard of the year.

“The guys worked so hard, we have won two championships in three years. This feels great.” – Ahmed Pai Kamoga, the Livingstone Patron said after their championship game.

The NBL will offer yet another opportunity for these two teams to bolster their now brewed rivalry. The wait may not be very long since the new season is tipped to start in January of 2024. Until then, both teams must make the desirable adjustments for coping in the NBL. It’s on record that over 90 percent of teams that earn qualification to the NBL from Division 1 , get relegated back within their first season.

By Cucu Brian | brian@basketball256.net | Twitter: @Cucubrian

In a show of wits, character and perhaps a stroke of serendipity, Livingstone Basketball Club overcame a 15 points deficit in the fourth quarter to force the tie breaking game five in the FUBA Division 1 Finals. The epic game four encounter of the best of five Finals series that transpired at the YMCA Wandegeya courts was a testament to that old saying that “its never over until the fat lady sings” and to the unpredictability of the competition in the Uganda Division 1. The Jaguars had been off to a steady start winning Q1 marginally 16-15 and going into the half time break with a 7 points advantage (33-26). As it has been thus far in this series, Livingstone third quarter woes continued to haunt and they’d fall back a whopping 15 points going into the fourth quarter.  

Pressed against the wall, with the trophy on the line and perhaps nuggets of desperation, Livingstone resorted to pressure defense and quick offense but seemingly, Jaguars were not yielding. Bismarck Omoya (18 points, 11 Rebs) came up clutch providing the leadership Livingstone needed in desperate times. But it’s Forward Diopa Durocher who did the most scoring damage ramping up 25 points and collecting 7 Rebs. Point guard Joshua Namutegere shot the biggest three pointer of his young career to secure the wild ending win for Livingstone. Joshua would finish with a tally of 17 points and 3 Assists.

JT Jaguars will continue to wonder how they smoked up to a 16 point lead in Q4. The Jaguars coached by Sudi Ulanga played awesomely the entire game but found themselves in a TimeOut-less conundrum in the end game. Nightly notable for the JT Jaguars even in defeat was Benjamin Shango’s double-double of 18 points and 11 Rebs, Were Mark and Ian Lubwama combined for 29 points with 17 points and 12 points respectively. Veteran point guard Yesman Bushiri scored the three-pointer on the horn that called Jaguars game 3 victory, finished with 8 points.  

Whereas both JT Jaguars and Livingstone by virtue of being in the Div 1 Finals earned qualification to the Uganda NBL – the highest league in the country, their odysseys could never have been more parallel. It’s taken only 2 years for JT Jaguars to get to the NBL; Last season they panned up Div 2 Champions to earn qualification to Div 1 and this season earning simultaneous qualification this time to the most prestigious league in the country – an historic feat that has only been achieved by the City Oilers. On the contrary, it’s been a two decade long journey for LivingStone to get to the NBL but the team has seen tremendous success for the past three years under the stewardship of their Chairman Ahmed Pai Kamoga and Coach Eric Matovu. And perhaps, their biggest acquisition was Bismarck ‘Oneal’ Omoya. With him, Livingstone won the Div 2 Championship and promotion to Div 1 in 2021, narrowly missed making the Div 1 Finals of 2022 with a close semi finals game 3 loss to Rez Life and finally achieving the holy grail in 2023 with the semi finals win over Nkumba Marines. Nobody draws these contrasts better than Abel Emwodu, The Livingstone O.G who has only played passionately for this one team for close to two decades.

I’ve waited for this moment for sixteen years! Sixteen years waiting for this moment –

Abel said after Livingstone’s entry into the NBL with defeat of Nkumba Marines.

The FUBA Div 1 Finals are a best of five series. With the series now tied at 2-2, Livingstone BC and JT Jaguars will now square up in the final Showdown to decide the Div 1 Champion for 2023 on Friday 1^st December 2023, at 7PM, at the YMCA Wandegeya.

By Cucu Brian | Twitter: @Cucubrian | brian@basketball256.net    

As the regular season of the FUBA Division I in Uganda came to an end, basketball enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the playoffs, a time when seeding takes a backseat to the sheer excitement of the game. The FUBA Men Division I playoffs are known for their unpredictability and the thrilling matchups that emerge, and this year is no exception.

The regular season saw a total of 30 games per team, with each squad striving to prove their mettle in the highly competitive league. While the number one seeded JT Jaguars boasted an impressive 28-2 record, their journey into the playoffs won’t be a walk in the park as they face the eighth-seeded Miracle Eagles, who managed a commendable 17-13 record. Experience has showed that in this league, any team can rise to the occasion and seize victory.

The second-seeded Nkumba Marines, with a strong 24-6 record, are set to clash with the seventh-seeded Falcons, who also finished the regular season at 17-13. The third seed, Livingstone (22-8), faces off against the sixth-seeded Tropical Royals, creating an intense showdown that promises to keep fans on the edge of their seats. The quarters offer an exciting clash between the fourth-seeded Victoria University (19-11) and the fifth-seeded UMU Flames (18-12). This matchup usually highlights the incredible balance of talent within the fourth and fifth seed as told by their respective regular season records.

What makes the Division I playoffs in Uganda truly unique is the way seeding is virtually forgotten once the postseason begins. Unlike many other leagues where higher seeds are expected to dominate, Division I playoff matchups are all about talent, heart, and determination. The lower-seeded teams have a history of rising to the challenge and creating upsets, leaving fans in awe and anticipation.

These playoffs are more often than not the epitome of the depth and competitiveness of Ugandan basketball. The evenly matched teams create an environment where underdogs can become heroes and where the margins of victory are razor-thin. Each game is a thrilling spectacle, featuring fierce competition, remarkable displays of athleticism a constant reminder that in the world of sports, anything is possible. The regular season’s seeding might provide some insight, but it’s the passion, hard work, and dedication of the players that truly determine the outcome. It’s a time when the spirit of basketball shines through, and fans eagerly await each game to see which team will emerge as the ultimate champion.

Who you got?

By Cucu Brian | brian@basketball256.net | Twitter: @Cucubrian

There’s that old basketball saying that Coaches lose games and players win them. Guess it’s the same way generals lose battles and wars and never soldiers. It’s always a notion of accountability. Looking back at the recently completed Round 1 of the AfroBasket2021 Qualifiers where the Uganda Silverbacks –the men’s basketball team set Uganda on course for qualification pending Round two in Kigali next February, with a 2-1 record in Alexandria, Egypt.

Without any shred of doubt, this success can be attributed to the Coaching staff with Head Coach George Galanopoulos at the helm. A lot of buzz especially locally ramps up every time a team to represent Uganda is selected. There’s been reservations and criticism especially about who gets selected and for some reason, which team they come from. It’s my opinion though that when it comes to national team duty, we should be more concerned with what a player can bring to the table rather than which team they play for. Which brings me to the point that usually these conversations are void of – The coach’s philosophy.

I’ve always believed that success of any sporting team starts with the selection of the coach. Once you pinpoint the coach, you submit yourself to his or her coaching philosophy and then you put together the pieces that are a fit within that philosophy. As a fan, the next time you query your team selection, ask yourself what the coach’s philosophy is.

In the Ugandan context, we’ve not been coherently blessed with much sized players but we have consistently been blessed with special guards, I can name every guard that’s been on the Silverbacks. From observation and indeed from his comments, Galanopoulos loves to play quick offense. And he loves a much spaced game – we saw a lot of the 5-Out sets, a lot of run and gun and many sets that were quick hitters.  The Silverbacks put up a spirited fight in the Round opening game against Egypt but they’d lose in the fourth quarter with the game ending 96-77. In a post-game interview, Galanopoulos hinted that he preferred the Silverbacks ‘to play quick but not in a rush’.  Indeed the Galanopoulos offence yielded a 94-90 victory against Morocco and a 101-98 victory against Cape Verde. Of course in each of those games and like in any basketball game, you can always refer to some individual player brilliance. Jimmy Enabu was nightly notable against Egypt with 20 points, Robinson Opong took over the game against Morocco with the game high 29 points on some incredible shooting and against Cape Verde, Ishmail Wainright had an insane game of 36 points, 12 boards and 7 assists.

Deng Geu was that consistent player providing the much needed support in buckets and adding that extra layer of protection at the glass and getting boards. I’d think that Galanopoulos and his technical team don’t need Deng to top score in a game but to do just what he’s doing while they run the offense around Wainright and Opong. Let me say I love watching a basketball game that keeps me on the edge of my seat, but not so much when it’s the Silverbacks because I’m extremely emotionally invested – and imagine all closings to all the games were nerve wrecking. The common denominator was that we swallowed an average of 96 points per game in Alexandria, a figure Galanopoulos will be seeking to change in Kigali come February 2021.

Based on the rankings after Round one of AfroBasket 2021 qualifications – rankings drawn by Coach Elizabeth Mills, Uganda Silverbacks are ranked number 3 on offensive ranking. Egypt is the top offensive team with Cape Verde in number 4 and Morocco in 7th position. I think it’s just right to say that Group E has the teams with the best offense in these qualifiers and we ought keep our offense top notch for any realistic chances of AfroBasket 2021. Overall, Uganda ranks number 12 among the 20 teams that are seeking to play at the AfroBasket 2021.

Interestingly and quite rightly so, the local based players have been called into nonresidential camp a lot earlier and I’m hoping they’re working on their conversion rate of shots more than anything so they can be the perfect complement to our key pieces.

By Cucu Brian | Twitter @Cucubrian