FT: New Zealand 76-33 Uganda
With the game between New Zealand and the Uganda She Cranes not having much relevance, Coach Rashid Mubiru rested his stars and named a second string team to face the Silver Ferns who also rested their star players Bailey Mes (GS) and Maria Tutaia (GA).
Mubiru called for five changes from the usual starting team with Stella Oyella (GS) Florence Amono (GA) Harriet Apako (C) Jesca Achan (WD) and Alice Nanteza (GK) all starting and only Halima Nakacwa (WA) keeping her place and usually Wing Defender Lillian Ajio moved to GD.
After an abysmal opening quarter from Oyella and Amono in which they scored 3 goals, Mubiru replaced the pair with his shooting core of Peace Proscovia and Racheal Nanyongo in the second quarter. Jesca Achan also made way for Betty Namukasa (GD) and Lillian Ajio was moved to WD and starting center player, Harriet Apako gave way for Ruth Meeme.
With Uganda’s core coming on to the court in the second quarter, offense improved drastically with the She Cranes scoring 10 more goals than they managed in the first period. Proscovia scored a perfect 10 while Nanyonga connected 3 of 5 attempts but that was all from the Ugandans as they did not score in double figures in the last two quarters of the game.
Peace Proscovia and Racheal Nanyonga finished with 19 and 11 goals respectively. Uganda’s prime feeder Ruth Meeme assisted 11 goals.
Silver Ferns starting shooters Malia Paseka (GS) and Jodi Brown (GA) were dominant in the offensive circle scoring 24 and 15 goals respectively in the first half and continued to torment the She Cranes defense in the second half.
Paseka finished with 49 goals while Jodi Brown scored 22 goals and assisted 12 before making way for Maria Tutaia.
New Zealand’s Goal Attack Maria Tutaia finally came on for Jodi Brown in the fourth quarter to make her 100th appearance for the Silver Ferns. Tutaia scored 5 goals.
Uganda will face South Africa who lost to England in Pool F in their first classification match.
