Ask just about any National Basketball League player or coach, and they will say winning is most important to them. Performance only comes along as a bonus.
Warriors probably excelled at both during the regular season dropping just a couple of games of the twenty two played.
As the season progressed, the two-time champions were only getting better with Michael Bazangu, Syrus Kiviiri, Mark Opio, Amisi Saidi, Philip Ameny and Co looking like a group that would challenge for the title.
Optimism grew not just among the fans but more among the players. They were winning games they should win (sometimes with a lot of ease), and though at times playing unlike they should be playing.
“So who do you think will beat us?” Kiviiri jokingly pondered when asked if Warriors could return to the finals for the first time since 2012. “Believe in us… We are good enough to get to the final and we want to get there. (City) Oilers are not that exceptional,” he said mid-season.
Warriors’ 57-54 win over Oilers in the second round coupled with dropping just a single game just like in the first cemented Kiviiri’s assertion.
Head coach Ronnie Mutebi never differed from his guard’s position in all normal season interviews but at all times emphasized “it will take hard work” which they were “putting in”.
“We are as good as any team that would challenge for the title. That’s what we are looking at and we know it takes many things, hard work, team work and that’s what we are working on,” Mutebi said back then.
Norman Blick and Dolphins dare Warriors
Heading into the playoffs as the top seed and not in line to face City Oilers before the final, Warriors were seen by many as a side that could join the four-time champions in the title fight.
JKL Dolphins were their first round opponents and Warriors advanced 2-1 after being forced into a decider that did not feel like one as Dolphins coiled just after the first quarter.
However, in the first two games of the series, Warriors did not look anything like they were expected to. They battled from a 21 point deficit to win the opener 77-65 but could not escape Daniel Orenga, Libe Makala and Norman Blick in Game 2.
While Warriors were able to shake off these sub-par performances with a master class in the decider, the two games were indicators of significant problems that were going to plague them throughout the post season.
KIU Titans strip Warriors bare
As Warriors were maneuvering their way to the second round of the playoffs, KIU Titans were lying in wait having swept aside UCU Canons.
With momentum from the decider, Warriors claimed the first game against Titans without playing particularly well. It took a couple of throws from Syrus Kiviiri with a few seconds on the clock for Warriors to escape with a 76-72 win. Amisi ‘Carmelo’ Saidi surprisingly led Warriors’ with 20 points and the trio of Kiviiri, Michael Bazangu and Mark Opio scored 13, 12 and 9 points respectively, shooting a combined 11-for-25 shooting from the floor in the series opening game.
“We should have done a little better on defense. We have to make stops and take away their transition, and also take the right shots that will put us in a better position to defend even if we miss,” KIU coach Brian Wathum said after that game.
It was that easy to figure out how to stop Warriors – kill transition and that’s all. While it seemed like they had the interior threat of Philip Ameny, Carmelo and Stanley Mugerwa, the threat was virtual as Mark Opio, Syrus Kiviiri and Daniel Gaki (who hardly played) barely put the ball into the post and when they did Ameny was forced into offensive fouls or double teamed, Mugerwa turned into a shooting big and Carmelo… well, there nothing much he can do.
On defense, Warriors were equally lacking. While KIU Titans ran mainly three plays in the half court, Warriors could only figure out one and tried to neutralize it in Game 4 but the Kasanga based side kept switching around and Warriors could not adjust.
In the half court, KIU had two shooters on the wings to draw defenders and create a lane for a drive by Omanye or Michael Bwanga with the option of a kick-out if help comes from the wings. Warriors were required to pay attention defensively against a team that just didn’t take any possessions off – even when those possessions ended with an airball but they did not and now they have to wait for another year to have a chance of finding their way to the final.
Confidence could be a factor behind the unforeseen results but Warriors did not look like a side short on confidence. In fact they have got players who are never short on confidence, they just worked so hard to disappoint.
