National Basketball League | Opening Day Results
- KIU Titans 59-63 Namuwongo Blazers
- Livingstone 53-70 JT Jaguars
- KIU Rangers 61-57 Lady Jaguars (AOT)
Innocent Ochera and Joseph Chuma were on top of their game as Namuwongo Blazers secured a 63-59 victory against KIU Titans as the 2024 National Basketball League got underway at Lugogo Arena on Friday.
Ochera led the scoring with 21 points while Chuma added 17 points as well as pulling down 10 rebounds to complete a personal double-double in what was a closely contested game.
For Titans, Kasereka Tembo led the scorers with 18 points as Edgar Munaba registered a double-double sinking 13 points and picking 16 rebounds.
The game got off to a slow start after a technical time was called to allow officials to rectify a few things concerning the roster and player numbers.
A minute into the game Joseph Chuma pulled one from outside the paint to get the game underway. At the end of the first quarter, Namuwongo Blazers had a one-point lead (17-16).
Going into the second quarter, Kasereka Tembo’s three free throws right away sent KIU Titans into the lead putting Namuwongo Blazers in the chasing park.
With four minutes left to end the second quarter, Juf Mpiya made a stunning dunk to create a 10-point lead (34-24) as the Titans kept cruising past a loose Blazers’ side.
However, Innocent Ochera came off the bench to drop in seven points breathing life into the Blazers’ camp. After two competitive quarters, the Blazers were trailing by four points (37-33).
Coming from the locker rooms, both sides looked pumped to go for the half, the Blazers played catch up till the eighth minute when Daniel Gaki’s three-point shot gave them a two-point lead before Chuma made a layup to extend the lead to four.
But the Titans responded through Edgar Munaba’s three-point jump shot before he made a layup, the third quarter was crowned by Denis Omara’s lay-up and the Titans led by three (52-49) at the end of the period.
The Titans held onto their lead till the fifth time but Chuma turned up with a dunk before he made a two-point jump shot. The power forward gave the Blazers a four-point lead with yet another jump shot and the Blazers’ crowd got on their feet.
Mpiya had a chance to level the game but missed a dunk as Chuma’s jump shot on the other end created a four-point gap (63-59) at full-time.
