Prime
Playing for UCU is everything for Ulanga
Experience: Ulanga attempts to go past a Falcons opponent during the Fuba league game last week. The guard will lead UCU youngsters against JKL Dolphines today. PHOTO/ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
- Like a home: A round trip through Power and KIU returned Sudi Ulanga to UCU, the place he calls home, the place where the point guard found his verve.
- Sudi Ulanga helped the Titans to 2017 NBL finals where they lost to City Oilers but the subsequent seasons have seen him look like he has ran out of steam. In the 2019 season, he started 16 of 21 games he played for KIU, averaging nine points, four rebounds and two assists.
- The Titans finished sixth (13-9) in the regular season before being eliminated by Warriors in the playoff quarterfinal.
Sudi Ulanga has been one of the most popular names from the Uganda Christian University (UCU) sports programme since its inception.
He left the university team, UCU Canons, after the 2014 season as the best shooter in the National Basketball League (NBL) but struggled to find his footing thereafter.
One season at Betway Power was enough to make him realise it was a wrong move and off to Kampala International University (KIU) he went. He joined KIU Titans and captained the side to the 2017 finals.
After the 2019 season, the Titans decided it was time for the Tanzanian to move on and that presented an opportunity for him to return to UCU, a place he calls home.
Re-joining UCU is one of the easiest decisions he has made his entire life. He enjoyed playing there and that is the place where his best attributes came out for all to appreciate.
Spells at Falcons, Power and KIU just don’t compare to what the shooting guard put out on the floor in the blue of UCU.
“It means everything to me,” Ulanga told Score when asked about the feeling of returning to Mukono.
“This is home. I just want to enjoy basketball and help the team.”
At the time Ulanga left UCU, the team had lost 3-2 to City Oilers in the 2014 NBL playoff semifinal to miss out on a first ever final.
That dream came true the following season but the guard had moved on to Power. His dream of playing in the final would come later, in 2017, where his Titans were swept aside by the uncompromising Oilers.
Eager to lead
Having left UCU as a young man in 2015, Ulanga returned as a married man with two kids and lots of league experience to go with his leadership skills.
He plans to offer all the help he can to his younger teammates as they chase success.
“My target is to help a very talented team with my experience to win,” Ulanga revealed.
UCU Canons have continued to compete over the years regardless of who is wearing that jersey but the championship has continued to elude them.
The team from last season hasn’t changed much and only David Deng and captain Joas Maheta moved on after losing to the Oilers in game seven of the finals.
Ulanga joined a back court that features Fayed Bbale, Isaiah Ater and Jerry Kayanga. His experience and leadership will be required when the stakes are high.
JKL Challenge
JKL Dolphins are full of players who call UCU home and that will have a bearing on today’s clash at the university campus in Mukono.
Brian Namake, Jonathan Egau, Ivan Lumanyika, Joseph Wacha and Derrick Isiko will be turning their guns on their former team and Ulanga expects a tough battle.
The Dolphins have recovered well after losing their first game of the season to UPDF Tomahawks and defeated highly rated KIU Titans last Sunday to announce their interest in this year’s championship.
Egau, Ulanga’s former teammate, is careful not to take anything for granted against the youthful and athletic Canons.
“We have to be ready to match their pace in transition,” he said.
JKL have won three of their four games while UCU have picked two from three to start the season.
Today at UCU- Mukono
Blazers vs. Falcons 10am
UPDF vs. Oilers 12pm
UCU vs. JKL 2pm
JKL vs. UCU Canons 4pm
Sunday AT KIU, Kansanga
KIU Rangers vs. KCCA 10am
Stormers vs. JKL 12pm
Blazers vs. Ndejje 2pm
UCU Canons vs. KIU Titans 4pm
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