The KIU Titans will take on the Namuwongo Blazers this Thursday at 9 PM EAT at the Lugogo Indoor Arena. This will be an opening game in the best-of-five semifinal series in the 2024 National Basketball League, with either team eyeing a crucial advantage in its quest for a spot in the final.
The Titans, coming off a commanding 2-0 sweep of JT Jaguars in the quarterfinals, would hope to reproduce such success. They were in dominant shape two weeks ago, smoothly dominating the best-of-three series. The Blazers moved through, also by a 2-0 win over Our Saviour, to set up an exciting semifinal showdown.
Under coach Julius Lutwama, the Titans have been in great form this season. They won 18 of their 22 regular season games to finish the regular season second in the standings, a place above the Blazers. The teams faced each other once this season when the Titans sneaked past the Blazers 74-71 in the second round. However Namuwongo had won the first encounter 63-59, making this series a battlefield for supremacy.
The Titans want to win counting on key players like point guard Joel Lukoji Banza, forward Juf Mpiya, and center Stanley Mugerwa. Guard Peter Obleng is back along with Brian Opio and Denis Omara to add depth. Long-term absentee Ahmed Kassa missed out with a fracture and will not make the trip, as he is still recuperating, while legendary center Ivan Lumanyika faces a late fitness test.
The Namuwongo Blazers, however, will be banking on their former KIU Titans players Joseph Chuma and Innocent Ochera. These two have always been a thorn in the Titans’ side. Not to talk about the challenges, Coach Lutwama has tactfully adjusted to cancel out these threats, as seen in their previous encounter where Chuma and Ochera were effectively contained.
With Thursday merely a few days away, the Titans will likely mix up a heady cocktail of sharp shooting and robust defense in their matchup against their arch-rivals. In effect, the result on Thursday will set the stage, with the winner getting an early advantage over their journey toward the finals. Sunday witnesses the teams locking horns once again for game two, and the initial winner will get a chance to take stranglehold control of the series, edging them that bit closer to championship victory.
