Power relegated to Division One after losing to Livingstone.
Finished season with a 6-16 record, totaling 28 points.
Key players’ efforts insufficient to avoid relegation.
Relegation presents opportunity for team rebuilding and improvement.
Power Basketball Club, once a formidable force in the National Basketball League (NBL), has been relegated to Division One after a narrow 54-61 defeat to Livingstone at the YMCA Court in Wandegeya on Sunday. This outcome marks a significant downturn for a team with a rich history and five league titles to their name.
Season Overview: A Struggle to Stay Afloat
Power’s relegation caps a dismal season, finishing with a 6-16 record and accumulating just 28 points from 22 games. This places them alongside Ndejje University Angels as the two teams relegated this season. Power’s fall is particularly striking given their historical success, only overshadowed by City Oilers’ nine titles and Falcons’ six, the latter also now relegated to Division One.
The season saw Power battling for survival against teams like JKL Dolphins (7-14), Livingstone (8-13), and Kampala Rockets (8-13), all of whom were also at risk of relegation. Despite a few standout performances, Power’s overall lack of consistency and depth in their roster proved their undoing.
The Decisive Game: High Stakes and Heartbreak
Sunday’s game was a must-win for Power to keep their slim chances of survival alive. Even with a victory, their fate was not entirely in their hands as they depended on the outcomes of other matches involving their relegation rivals.
Power started strong, leading 15-13 at the end of the first quarter. However, a disastrous second quarter saw them score only three points against Livingstone’s 17, resulting in a 30-18 deficit at halftime. Despite a valiant effort to claw back in the third quarter and tying the game at 51-51 midway through the final quarter, Livingstone’s decisive 8-0 run in the closing minutes sealed Power’s fate.
Key Players and Missed Opportunities
Throughout the season, Power struggled with a limited roster. Initially, they had only eight players in the first round. Mid-season additions, including Taariq Powell, Kevin Ogunjimi, Clinton Omondi, and Geoffrey Soro, brought some hope, but it was too little, too late. In the crucial game against Livingstone, Taariq and Soro were the only Power players to score in double digits, contributing 15 and 13 points respectively.
Livingstone’s victory was spearheaded by Amara Ariho and Bismarck Okot, who scored 16 and 12 points respectively. Their contributions ensured Livingstone’s stay in the NBL and compounded Power’s misery.
Reflection: What Went Wrong?
Power’s relegation was not just about a single game but a culmination of missed opportunities and strategic failures throughout the season. One notable moment was last Saturday’s game against Our Saviour, where Power squandered a 20+ point lead, highlighting their inability to maintain composure and consistency under pressure.
Moreover, despite a surprising win against the formidable Nam Blazers, these isolated successes could not compensate for the overall lack of depth and resilience in the team. The mid-season reinforcements came too late to make a significant impact on their fortunes.
