Friday, April 12
*JT Lady Jaguars 58-72 JKL Lady Dolphins – 7pm
*Dmark Power 63-80 KIU Titans – 9pm
Saturday, April 13
*JKL Dolphins Vs JT Jaguars – 2pm
*UCU Canons Vs Livingstone – 4pm
*KIU Titans Vs Ndejje Angels – 6pm
Ivan Lumanyika made an impressive debut for the KIU Titans, marking his return to the court after a lengthy absence due to injury.
The Titans secured a 80-63 victory over Dmark Power in the National Basketball League clash held at Lugogo.
Lumanyika had last played in 2022 for City Oilers before being sidelined with a knee injury requiring surgery.
This season, Lumanyika was initially registered for Ndejje University Angels before the deal fell through and joined KIU.
He missed the opening nine games this season before Friday’s debut where he contributed four points, six rebounds, and two assists in 16 minutes of play.
Renowned as one of the league’s premier big men, Lumanyika’s addition bolsters the KIU Titans’ quest to return to the NBL finals.
Despite a sluggish start that saw them trailing by four points at halftime, the Titans mounted a sensational comeback in the second half, dominating the court with a fourth-quarter blitz that saw them outscore Power 26-14.
Although Dmark Power managed to outrebound KIU 50-46, their shooting accuracy faltered, with a mere 22% success rate from beyond the arc coupled with 27 turnovers.
Mpiya Juf led the scoring for the Titans with a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds, supported by strong performances from Collins Kasujja and Ahmed Kassa, who contributed 13 and 12 points respectively off the bench.
Despite a valiant effort from Power, highlighted by Samad Imran’s 12 points and 16 rebounds, as well as contributions from Reagan Lemanika and Isaac Afidra with 12 and 11 points respectively, the team fell short, marking their seventh defeat of the season.
Currently positioned fourth with seven wins out of ten games, the KIU Titans are set to conclude the first round with a matchup against Ndejje University Angels on Sunday.
Dmark Power, with their first-round games concluded, will look to improve their roster ahead of the second round that tip off on April 19.
https://sportsnation.co.ug/2024/04/13/ivan-lumanyika-returns-after-two-years/
