Emmanuel Omara Jr. has credited his coach and teammates for Watoto’s historic 2026 FUBA Division One title, insisting his individual success would not have been possible without their support.
Watoto ended a seven-year journey through Uganda’s lower basketball divisions on Sunday night, beating KIU Titans 59-57 in a tense Game Six at the YMCA Court in Wandegeya to win the best-of-seven series 4-2.
Omara, who played a central role in the triumph, said his coach’s guidance and his ability to follow instructions have been key to his development.
“Doing all that starts with the coach and my teammates because I cannot do it alone. Sometimes I come on court, and I’m like, today I don’t feel it, but he’s there to tell me what to do. I think I’m disciplined enough to follow what he says and then things get executed,” he said.
The forward also believes hard work and determination can make the difference, regardless of a player’s physical attributes.
“There’s a saying in sports that people use: you cannot teach hustle. So for you to outperform and be a good player, you have to put yourself out there,” he added.
Omara does not consider himself the biggest or strongest player in the league but believes his skills, work ethic and willingness to listen have helped him stand out.
“I’m not the biggest player in the league, I’m not the strongest, but with the skills my coach has and the skills I have, and the ability to listen and follow the commands he gives, it brings up all this. So I’m just grateful for my teammates and my coach,” he said.
His gratitude came after an outstanding season in which he collected five individual awards. He was named both Regular Season and Playoffs Most Valuable Player (MVP), finished as the league’s top rebounder with 346 rebounds at an average of 13 per game, won Defensive Player of the Season and was selected as the centre in the Team of the Season.
He capped that individual success with a game-high 22 points in the decisive victory over KIU, while Sydney David Walusimbi added 10.
Watoto looked in control early, racing to an 18-5 lead in the first quarter. Omara led the scoring, while Walusimbi contributed steals, rebounds and assists. Victor Aaron Makmot also entertained the crowd with a dunk off Walusimbi’s assist, and Fortunate Kamugisha added a driving lay-up.
KIU struggled to score, with Osinde James Nkambo converting free throws, but the Titans responded in the second quarter, outscoring Watoto 18-8 to reduce the deficit to 26-23 at half-time.
Kamugisha scored a three-pointer for Watoto, while Walusimbi added a lay-up and free throws, with Omara contributing a free throw.
KIU gradually found their rhythm through Odokonyero, Bona, Chieng Garang and Ryan Akena Arthur, making the contest increasingly difficult for Watoto.
The third quarter remained tight. Akena’s lay-up and Mutawulu’s three-pointer kept KIU within reach, but Omara continued to deliver. Walusimbi added a tip-in and another lay-up, while Makmot also scored as Watoto took a 40-35 lead into the final quarter.
The real test came in the closing minutes when KIU took a 57-56 lead through Bushiri’s driving lay-up with 53 seconds left.
Watoto needed a response, and Omara provided it with a crucial lay-up to restore their advantage. Makmot then sank a three-pointer, assisted by Osinde, with 43 seconds remaining to put Watoto 59-57 ahead.
Those were the final points of the game. Watoto held on as late turnovers by Osinde and Mutawulu denied KIU another chance to level the score.
The victory completed Watoto’s seven-year climb through the lower divisions and delivered their first Division One championship.
Their road to the title was not straightforward. KIU won the opening game 64-59 before Watoto responded with victories of 48-42 in Game Two and 67-60 in Game Three.
The Titans levelled the series at 2-2 in Game Four, with Akena producing an outstanding 31-point performance. Watoto regained the advantage with a 65-50 win in Game Five before surviving KIU’s late fightback to seal the title.
Both teams will now move up to the National Basketball League (NBL) next season, marking the end of their Division One campaigns.