Tusker Lite National Basketball League
Friday Fixtures
*5: 30 PM – KCCA Leopards vs KIU Rangers (W)
*7 PM – City Oilers vs Namuwongo Blazers
It was in 2019 that the National Basketball League (NBL) was last played to completion. The 2020 season didn’t tip-off due to a Covid-19 scare then while the 2021 league was disrupted midway still by the pandemic.
Now that normalcy is back with the economy fully open, sports has also swinged back into full gear and local basketball is set to rock courts and arenas around Kampala both during day and at night.
The 2022 season was launched on Wednesday at Hotel Africana in Kampala by the Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) and its main sponsor Tusker Lite, a Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) brand.
FUBA General Secretary Hudson Ssegamwenge revealed that there will be 13 teams in the men’s top tier division (NBL) after an addition of two teams from division one and no relegation. Warriors failed to register for the season in time but he anticipates an exciting season.
“Coming back after almost two years without basketball because of Covid-19 is going to be some how challenging to the athletes and officials but we’re confident that as the season gets deeper, we shall catch up and get used…2022 is promising to be an exciting basketball season on all fronts,” Ssegamwenge noted before lauding this season’s partners Tusker Lite (main sponsor) and Next Media.
Elizabeth Mutamuliza, Tusker Lite Brand Manager revealed that the brand has committed UGX200M (Two Hundred Million Uganda Shillings) into the league, a 100% increment from their previous sponsorship.
“We are excited to be back in action with a sport that brings friends together to enjoy fun moments, which is what Tusker Lite is really about as a brand. The sponsorship is our way of reaffirming that we believe in basketball, and want it to grow,” Mutamuliza said.
The 2022 season tips off on Friday at the MTN Arena, Lugogo with two games on the card. KCCA Leopards will come up against KIU Rangers in the season opener while the other game later in the evening will be between title holders City Oilers and a rejuvenated Namuwongo Blazers side. Action will continue throughout the weekend.
