After nearly a year, the Uganda Basketball League will finally begin. According to sources, the National Basketball League will begin on March 11, 2022, with the men’s champions, City Oilers, and the women’s champions, JKL Lady Dolphins, looking to defend their titles.
In 2021, the Uganda Basketball League had barely completed the first round of the season when the lockdown forced the Federation of Uganda Basketball Association (FUBA) to suspend the season, which ultimately resulted in the season being cancelled entirely.
Basketball was the only sport that did not resume, with the administration citing COVID-19 SOPs as reason enough to not have the league continue. Other sports disciplines found a way to continue even in the midst of pandemic restrictions imposed by the government of Uganda.
What do the fans make of the return of the Uganda Basketball League?
Many fans were taken aback because basketball was the first sport to play behind closed doors, with games broadcast on Facebook and YouTube. Many hoped that this would be a good way to ensure the league’s continuity while also attracting new fans, sponsors, and providing a platform for national team players to stay in shape.
The national federation, however, cancelled the season, so this was never to be. Some of the players are also rumoured to have sought playing time elsewhere, with some signing with teams in Rwanda, Tanzania, and South Sudan.
With the return of the National Basketball League and the government’s full opening of the economy, fans will be welcomed to flood Lugogo Indoor Stadium, YMCA, UCU, and Kabalagala to watch their favourite teams battle it out.
Some fans, however, are concerned that the quality of the games may suffer as a result of the large number of players who have been out of action for nearly two years. But that is something to be concerned about another day. For now, let the games begin and may the best team (the fans) win!
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Author: Moses Echodu
Moses is an avid Sports and Tech enthusiast. He loves to keep up to date with all the latest information and research on some of the most compelling stories.
