Titus Lual's 15 PTS, 12 REB double-double Player of the Game performance saw the UCU Canons' fairytale run in the National Basketball League continue as they beat fellow contenders, Warriors, 79-68 at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium Friday night, with score margin not being representative of the gulf of class on show on the night.
Playing without talisman, David Dikong Deng, injured in their narrow loss vs. the City Oilers last Wednesday, the Canons started slow, falling back quickly 13-5 in the early exchanges. But the Mukono-based University side would turn it around following their coach, Nicholas Natuhereza, calling a timely time-out that saw them turn the game on its head, going on a 15-3 run to lock out the first quarter 20-16.
The Canons took the second quarter 26-14, before needing Star of the Day, Titus Lual, to sink a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to see out the third quarter 20-all. This left the 18-14 Warriors fourth quarter victory rather inconsequential.
Lual feels the youthfulness of his team has overtime worked to their advantage against their more experienced topflight opponents.
"We're younger than any other team we compete with, so what keeps us going is our athleticism," Lual said before adding, "the age they are in can not compete with ours so we run them down!"
The victory sees UCU Canons pip Power to top the 12-team National Basketball League table with one game vs. Kampala University, set to be played on Saturday 24th August, 2019 at the Lugogo Indoor Arena.
Warriors Head Coach, Ronnie Mutebi, felt lapses in concentration were responsible for their 4th loss of the season.
"Honestly speaking, we had so many lapses, defensive especially, (but) I'm grateful it is happening now - it would have been worse if it was happening in the play-offs," a dejected Ronnie Mutebi said after the game.
His UCU Canons counterpart was happy with his team's reaction to the defeat they suffered vs. City Oilers in the last game, also crediting the players' focus this season.
"When I go back to the last two seasons, I don't think we have been as focussed as we have been this year," said Natuhereza.
Coach Nick, as he is commonly referred to, saved some praise for Isaiah Mabeny, who his team has relied on heavily this season.
"I think we've not had a consistent shooter for a while, I think he's been the most consistent for us," Nick said, before adding, "he's been a threat in every game for us which kind of opens up for the other players."
Mabeny has averaged 24:19 MIN, 13.5 PTS and 3.9 this season.
In the earlier game, Sharing Saints' mental strength came to test and came short incredibly as the Nsambya-based side lost 77-72 to the Ndejje University Angels.
Sharing, who started the brighter one of two, lost their lead in the third quarter, which had gone up to 14 points at some point, when Gauthier Bader scored a 3-pointer to lock out the third quarter 55-55.
The Angels took the deciding quarter 22-17 to complete the job.
Ndejje's Godwin Muhamireho was named Player of the Game in that one.
