Aporu George was in double joy as he guided Nemostars to their first title of the year in three outings, as the side won the KIU Open Volleyball Championship.
Nemostars who failed to impress at both the Ndejje and Jinja Open Champions defeated Sport-S 3-1 in the final of the KUI Open played under floodlights on Sunday.
Aporu arguably the best player of his generation was also named the most valuable player after putting all he could to ensure the side comes out on top.
“I was MVP for the tournament but I believe we had 15 MVPs in the tournament,” Aporu told the club website nemostars.com in reference to the 15 players Nemostars brought to the tournament.
“We badly wanted to win something, we needed to prove that we are not yet worn out and we still have our A game,” he added.
Aporu (Middle) receiving the MVP gong from a KIU Official as teammate Amou Tom looks on.
The turning point of the final was called by Sport-S’ coach Mugisha Benon, he substituted setter Warren Muhangi for Andrew Wandera and attacker Ivan Ongom for Albert Gayi at the time Sport-S was leading the first set 23-21.
They never recovered as Nemostars took at set 25-23 to lead the game. Though the Nsambya based side was able to level matters with a 25-21 score in the second set.
Nemostars started the third brightly as their services troubled Sport-S, at one point the former led 8-3. The 2014 winners crawled back and eventually forced deuce but Nemostars who were playing in their first final of the year took the lead again 26-24.
Nemostars’ Tom Amou, Smith Okumu and Bendicto Omalinga all utilized their time in the service box. Sport-S receivers Barnabus Tugume and Dickens Otim struggled to contain the service, libero Stephen Oguti and Allan Tumukunde also failed to be consistently present on reception.
But Omalinga, Fahad Zungu, Smith Okumu, Amou and Aporu didn’t have mercy with their blocks as Nemostars took the fourth set 25-22.
Because of the time, the women’s final between Sport-S and KAVC couldn’t be played because of time and was scheduled for Good Friday at the MTN Arena in Lugogo.
