FUBA National Basketball League
Charging Rhinos 88-84 Our Saviour
MTN Arena, Lugogo
Wednesday, 01-08-2018
Charging Rhinos had to do it the hard way in order to earn a win over Our Saviour in one of the two FUBA National Basketball League (NBL) games played at the MTN Arena on Wednesday evening.
The Rhinos required overtime with the scores tied at 74 all after normal time to win the game 88-84.
They (Rhinos) had four players reach double figures on the night in terms of points with Abel Omomgin (21)top scoring for them. Swaibu Kalungi (10), Abraham Isiagi (16) and Francis Kasekende (15) were the others who reached double figures for the Rhinos.
The Rhinos got off to a flying start, racing into a 4-0 lead with just over two minutes played, thanks to layups by Kasekende and Daniel Higenyi.
Our Saviour who eventually won the quarter 19-11 registered their first points on the night through Owen Majok’s won layup.
Saviour increased their lead by half time to 11 points as they went into the dressing room leading 38-27.
It was in the third that Rhinos should their intentions of winning the game, scoring the first points of the quarter through Isiagi and eventually winning it 25-14 to level the scores at 52-52 with 10 minutes to play.
At the start of the fourth, the Rhinos took their first lead in the game since the first quarter when Omomgin sank a three off a jump shot but relinquished it with just over two minutes to play. Wilberforce Pirworth threw down a two for Our Saviour to take a one point lead with the score board reading 70-69.
It was a cat and mouse game from there on wards as both sides traded baskets and the lead changed hands two more times before Our Saviour took a healthy four point lead with 1:29 to play.
Rhinos called for time out and what a decision it proved to be as Samuel Wacha scored the last four points of normal time, the first two being free-throws after he was fouled by Pirworth and then a layup with 13 seconds on the clock.
Wacha continued his fine display late on in the game when he sank two more free throws at the start of Overtime off a foul by his name sake Josep to enable his side take a two point lead.
Our Saviour replyed instantly with six points of their own to swing the game in their favour with just over two minutes to play, leding 82-78.
Rhinos then ran riot, scoring 10 of the last 12 points of the game and in process won the game 88-84.
This was Rhino’s fifth win of the campaign and now seat 9th on the 12 team log with a 5-13 record after 18 games.
For Our Saviour who suffered a ninth loss of the season, remain in 7th with a 7-9 record after 16 games.
Their guard, Pirworth top scored on the night with 22 points, adding six rebounds, three assists and two steals despite conceding five turnovers on the night. Joseph Wacha (19), Owen Majok (12), Brian Ssentongo (12) and Steven Mwesigye (19) were the others who reached double figures for Our Saviour in the losing effort.
In the other game, Rachel Nanyongo top scored on the night with 21 points, despite her team (Magic Stormers) losing the game 51-52 to Javon Lady Phenoms.
The low scoring game saw Stomers win the first two quarters 9-14 and 19-14 before losing the game by a single point.
Remmy Nakito and Captain Grace Kusaba top scored for the Phenoms with 13 points each.
The win was Javon Lady Phenoms’ third for the season and they move to 8th on the 10 team log with a 3-12 record.
Stomers remain 7th with a 4-11 record after their first 15 games of the season.
Action in the FUBA NBL resumes on Friday with two games in the Men’s category as JKL Dolphins host leaders, BetWay Power while title contenders KIU Titans and City Oilers collide in the late kick-off.
