How Kayanja inspired debutants Royal Giants over former champions Scrap Buyers

2022 Senior Pool League:

Match Day 1 (Official Opening Match):

Royal Giants 11-9 Scrap Buyers

Ibra Kayanja was the star player as league debutants Royal Giants smiled past Scrap Buyers 11-9 during the 2022 senior pool league opening match at the Tickles & Giggles Bar in Kiwatule, Kampala city.

Kayanja won all the four matches he played against Simon “The Computer” Lubulwa, veteran Humphrey “Master P” Nsubuga, two-time national open winner Fahad Ssewankambo as well as a break and finish performance over the diminutive Wiliam Mirembe.

Ibra Kayanja in action against Fahad Ssewankambo. Kayanja won this game (Credit: David Isabirye)

He attributed this performance to good preparations and teamwork.

“Personally, and the teammates, the training has been progressing well. We believed that we could make it happen and worked as a compact team” Kayanja noted.

Stalemate at half time:

The opening ten frames were shared equaled by the two clubs with both winning five, and losing five as well.

Scrap Buyers’ Nsubuga edged left hander Alex Tomusange in the very first game to take a 1-0 lead.

Humphrey Nsubuga of Scrap Buyers in action (Credit: David Isabirye)

Ssewankambo gave the visitors the lead 2-0 with an easy win against Ramadhan Gitta.

Royal Giants’ captain Mustapha Bwiire pulled back a game after edging Ronald Akampurira.

Scrap Buyers’ Habibu Ssebuguzi further extended their lead to 3-1 with a solid performance over Artman Kabuubi.

Kayanja fought gallantly to beat Scrap Buyer’s Lubulwa before Ssewankambo beat Tomusange to restore Scrap Buyer’s 2 goal margin at 4-2.

Royal Giants narrowed the scores 4-3 when Gitta won over Akampurira, and Bwire beat national team captain Ssebuguzi to level the matters 4-all.

Lubulwa overcame Kabuubi for 5-4 before Kayanja equalized for the hosts 5-5 heading to the mandatory half-time recess.

Simon “The Compuer” Lubulwa on the pool table (Credit: David Isabirye)

Tactical Second half:

As the second half returned, both sides returned with solid displays.

Gitta gave Royal Giants the command for the first time in the game with a win over Ssebuguzi to make it 6-5.

Subsistute Johnson “Shawn” Yiga beat Scrap Yard’s fellow subsistute William “Bebe Cool” Mirembe to extend Royal Giant’s lead 7-5.

Scrap Buyers narrowed the margin to 7-6 when Lubulwa edged Bwire in a competitive frame.

In the most-tricky and tactical of the games on the evening, Nsubuga faced off Kabuubi.

Kabuubi out-muscled Nsubuga as Royal Giants made it 8-6.

Kayanja made it 9-6 with an easy win over Ssewankambo.

Scrap Buyers did not rest as they showed brevity, winning two games in succession.

Gitta lost to Lubulwa and Ssebuguzi beat Royal Giants’ other subsistute Yiga as they came closer to equalizing the frames (9-8).

At this stage, Royal Giants needed two frames to victory and the visitors required three frames.

Royal Giants claimed the first frame with Kabuubi’s triumph over Ssewankambo (10-8) before the man of the moment Kayanja won over Mirembe with an A-score (break and finish performance) for 11-8.

The other game was won by Scrap Buyer’s Nsubuga over Royal Giant’s captain Bwiire for 11-9 but the damage had already been inflicted by Kayanja.

The victory was well celebrated by the home players and fans alike.

Fahad Ssewankambo breaks up before the game (Credit: David Isabirye)

Ssewankambo cast the grey performance to the long break (2 year absence of pool) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We lack the agility and sharpness as a team (Scrap Buyers) because of the rustiness due to the long break without playing. We promised to return a better side” Ssewankambo noted.

For the first time in the history of the Pool Association of Uganda (PAU), the senior pool league was televised live on television (NBS Sport TV Channel).