Joel Lukoji Stars as KIU Titans Edge Nam Blazers

Tuesday, August 20
*UCU Lady Canons 52-48 KIU Rangers (2-1)
*KIU Titans 76-74 Nam Blazers (2-1)

Wednesday, August 21
*JKL Lady Dolphins Vs JT Lady Jaguars (2-0) – 7pm
*City Oilers Vs UCU Canons (2-0) – 9pm

KIU Titans took a pivotal 2-1 lead in their best-of-five semifinal series against the Nam Blazers, winning a nail-biting contest 76-74 on Tuesday day night.

Point guard Joel Lukoji was the hero of the night, delivering a stellar performance with a game-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting and adding nine assists.

The Titans, coached by Julius Lutwama, also saw key contributions from Kasereka Tembo and Edgar Munaaba, who added 15 and 14 points respectively.

Nam Blazers’ Jimmy Williams led his team with 17 points, while Peter Cheng recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Innocent Ochera chipped in 13 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Titans’ resilience.

Despite a slow start, which saw them trailing 11-21 after the first quarter, the Titans mounted an impressive comeback.

And the Blazers, who once held a 13-point lead, found themselves trailing by as much as 14 points.

With less than four minutes remaining, a controversial foul on Edgar Munaaba by Joseph Chuma, his fifth of the night, led to a standstill, as frustrated Blazers fans disrupted the game by throwing a bottle onto the court. Order was eventually restored after over a 10-minute delay.

As the game resumed, the Blazers attempted a late surge, cutting the deficit to four points with a jumper from Makiadi. However, Lukoji responded with back-to-back baskets, pushing the Titans’ lead back to eight points.

In the closing moments, after an unsportsmanlike foul by Titans captain Collins Kasujja on Jimmy Williams who converted both free throws to move within three points, the Blazers had an opportunity to tie the game. But Paul Odong’s three-point attempt rimmed out, sealing their fate.

Lukoji’s uncontested layup further extended the Titans’ lead, and although Ochera hit a three-pointer in the dying seconds, it was too little, too late for the Blazers, who fell just short by four points.

With this victory, the KIU Titans are now just one win away from returning to the finals, while the Nam Blazers face a must-win situation in Game 4 to keep their championship hopes alive.