Sunday, June 14
•UPDF Lady Tomahawks 49-53 Victoria She Crocs
•UCU Lady Canons 65-37 KCCA Leopards
•Victoria Crocs 67-62 UPDF Tomahawks
UPDF Tomahawks were relegated from the National Basketball League after suffering a 67-62 defeat to Victoria Crocs in their final regular-season game on Sunday at YMCA Court in Wandegeya.
The Tomahawks entered the contest knowing that only a victory would guarantee their NBL survival, but they failed to deliver in the most important game of their season.
UPDF trailed 22-15 after the opening quarter, and the deficit grew to 11 points by halftime. They remained 11 points behind at the end of the third quarter, trailing 51-40.
The Tomahawks mounted a late comeback, going on a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to just three points. However, Victoria responded with a run of their own and held firm to secure the victory.
Bolton Rujjumba led UPDF with 18 points, while Henry Okoth added 11, but their efforts were not enough to prevent relegation.
It was a damaging defeat for UPDF, who join Kampala Rockets as the two teams dropping to the lower division.
For Victoria Crocs, Mark Ngoobi starred with a game-high 22 points, while Chuol Nyuot recorded a double-double of 15 points and 15 rebounds to help seal the win.
UPDF could have secured a playoff berth with a victory, but they looked off their best on a day when everything needed to go their way.
They shot just 5-for-29 from three-point range, committed 22 turnovers, and were narrowly outrebounded 58-57.
Victoria Crocs, in their first season back in the NBL, finished the regular season in fifth place and will face UCU Canons in the best-of-three quarterfinal series.
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