The UCU Canons find themselves staring at elimination after a disastrous fourth-quarter meltdown handed Nam Blazers a commanding 73-58 victory in Game Two of the National Basketball League semifinals on Friday night at Lugogo.
The loss leaves the university side trailing 0-2 in the best-of-five series, with Game Three on Sunday now a must-win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
UCU entered the clash under difficult circumstances, missing their head coach Nicholas Natuhereza on the touchline and captain Ibanda Lwabaga through injury. Their disjointed start saw them concede the opening quarter 28-13, but to their credit, the Canons regrouped and fought back gallantly. By the third quarter, they had cut the deficit to just two points, sparking belief of a dramatic turnaround.
That hope quickly evaporated. The Canons went ice-cold to start the fourth, failing to score for seven straight minutes as the Blazers reeled off an 18-0 run that effectively ended the contest.
UCU’s offensive woes were glaring — they shot a poor 7-of-26 from beyond the arc, turned the ball over 24 times, and were outrebounded 45-40 despite Joel Kayiira’s 15-board effort. Jimmy Otim and Zacharia Ekirapa’s combined 23 points were not enough to paper over the cracks.
Meanwhile, the Blazers seized the opportunity ruthlessly. Joel Lukoji dropped 24 points, Arthur Wanyoto registered a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double, while James Okello’s 17 points added veteran poise.
The defeat underlined a harsh truth for UCU: without their full cast and composure, their fairytale playoff run risks ending abruptly. Game Three is now their last chance to prove they can rise above adversity — or bow out with regret.
