22 November 2013

UGANDA : Falcons decimate Warriors

Muhayimina Namwaya of KCCA Leopards (C) tries to get past Magic
Muhayimina Namwaya of KCCA Leopards (C) tries to get past Magic Stormers’ blocks during their semifinal play-offs. Leopards are in the final. Photo by Ismail Kezaala  KAMPALA- Falcons showed how you win a Castle Lite playoff game and probably a series, lessons which DMark Power and City Oilers would have taken handy.
The record champions completely decimated Riham Warriors 85-66 at YMCA court on Wednesday night to assume a 2-1 lead in the five-game semifinal series.
Power and Oilers clash in Game Three of the other semifinal today at the Lugogo MTN Arena with the series tied at 1-all. Neither would want to leave red-faced, like Warriors.“We were terrible,” Warriors’ Kenyan coach Ronnie Owino said.
Those words summed up how poor the champions were but more importantly, how good Falcons can be
After only five points decided the first two games of this matchup between last year’s finalists, Warriors edging the first 76-75 and Falcons nicking the second 80-76, the latter took charge.
A brisk start saw Geoff Omondi nail three of his four from beyond the arc with the six-time champions taking the opening period 32-11.
That was game-set-match and the margin should have been at least 20 points. The rest was normal service with Abdullahi ‘Dulah’ Ramadhan leading all scorers with 18 points and seven assists.                 
Omondi and Stephen Omony had an identical 16 points and six rebounds. But, it’s the return from a four-match ban of Serge Kabangu that had the most telling contribution, way beyond his 16 points and six rebounds. “He was big,” that’s all his coach Gad Eteu said. Kabangu lessened the burden on Philip Ameny, ran the baseline and limited the damage that veteran Henry Malinga has caused Falcons in this series.
When they fouled, Kabangu made six of seven from the free throw line. Malinga, who made 42 through the first two games, scored a team-high 14 points, converting only four of 10 from the charity-line.
Sylvain Yunzu also scored 14 in his first game in months, Ivan Enabu and Sam Gombya made 12 apiece but this was never a contest as Falcons came close to their full potential.
Eteu opted to “let them enjoy the result” and not conduct those lengthy post-game meetings. However, one word reverberated in their minds and it should till Sunday – “focus.”

Meanwhile, Claire Lamunu, Martha Soigi, Flavia Oketcho and Becky Akullo scored 20, 18, 18 and 18 as KCCA Leopards beat Magic Stormers 80-72 to win the series 3-0 and move on to the final.

UCU Lady Canons should join them with victory against A1 Challenge tonight. The Lady Canons lead the series 2-0.

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