While a win is a win, Uganda national basketball head coach Mandy Juruni has warned his players that lapses in concentration could cost them dearly, following a tight 68-65 victory over Rwanda.
The Silverbacks spent three quarters playing catch-up, undermined by a slow start that saw them fall behind 13-20 in the opening quarter and trail by as many as 11 points by halftime.
Addressing the media post-match, Juruni did not mince his words regarding why his team found themselves in a ditch early on. “I think it’s just lack of focus, really, and effort from the players, and that’s why we went down,” Juruni candidly admitted.
The tactician plans to use upcoming film sessions to correct these defensive and mental lapses. “We will stress focus and effort on the films, look at the stats, and just keep working on the things that we’re still struggling with. That’s going to be the focus.”
Despite the early struggles, the game provided a major silver lining in the performance of star player Marvin. Juruni was quick to heap praise on his impact: “It’s really, really good to have Marvin in the team. He does so much for us. I’m happy that he’s with us.”
Alarmingly for Uganda’s future opponents, the team isn’t even at full strength yet. Juruni revealed that they are still missing one of their marquee players.
“We’re missing one player still… I would say one of our best players. She’s not yet here, so I think once she comes in, we’ll look a lot better,” he added, signalling that the Silverbacks have another gear to find.
