File photo

The UCU Canons had an uneven regular season, swinging from brilliant to baffling mediocrity with regular frequency.

No doubt where their performance in Game 1 of the National Basketball League (NBL) quarterfinals against the Kampala Rockets ranks.

Gideon Kasasa and Edgar Mugabo combined for 20 points as the Rockets edged UCU 50-49 in the cagey opener of their best-of-three series played on Saturday at Lugogo. Lwabaga Ibanda had a game-high 12 points, while Joel Kayira scored 10.

NBL Teams are clearly struggling to shake off the effects of the long AfroBasket-induced layoff, as the similarly low scores in Game 1 of the Namuwongo Blazers-Rezlife series suggest. Namuwongo won as expected, but the 54-41 scoreline was definitely on the measly side.

Innocent Ochera with 13 was Namuwongo’s sole double-digit scorer, while Rezlife’s Michael Otienno recorded a game-high 15. He was also the only Saint to reach double figures. Rezlife star Chris Omanye was held to two points, going 1-of-11 from the field.

The beauty is that the best-of-three series instantly puts one team in survival mode after the opening encounter. That tends to elevate the quality of competition as the loser of Game 1 must win or go home.

That is where UCU, Rezlife and the KCCA Panthers, who were beaten 75-64 by Sommet on Friday, are. 

National Basketball League playoffs

Best-of-three quarterfinals

Women

JKL 77 UPDF 55

JKL 79 UPDF 52

(JKL win series 2-0)

KCCA 67 Stormers 65

(KCCA lead series 1-0)

Jaguars 71 Miracle 36

(Jaguars lead series 1-0)

UCU 68 KIU 57

(UCU lead series 1-0)

Men

Namuwongo 54 Rezlife 41

(Namuwongo lead series 1-0)

Sommet 74 KCCA 64

(Sommet lead series 1-0)

Rockets 50 UCU 49

(Rockets lead series 1-0)