The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s National Insurance Company (NIC) women’s team and Kampala University men’s team are the champions of the East Africa Club netball championships.
NIC were crowned champions Saturday after defeating KCCA 44-35 in the final played at Kamwokya Christian Community Arena.
Captain Stella Oyella was NIC’s hero after netting 37 of the goals to guide her side to defend the title they had earlier won in 2019 in an edition hosted in Zanzibar. KCCA put up a spirited fight in the first half of the game but failed to hold onto their performance in the second half.
To qualify for the final, KCCA Netball Club edged Uganda Prisons out with 44 goals against 43 while champions NIC also defeated Tanzania’s Tamisemi netball club 47-37 in the second semi-final of the championship.
Speaking to URN after being crowned championship, NIC’s Maureen Nankya said teamwork made the team unbeatable throughout the tournament. NIC head coach Vicent Kiwanuka said the KCCA team was a major threat after challenging NIC in the domestic league. However, he adds, some improvements were made and these helped his side to outcompete KCCA.
“We came to this tournament prepared. KCCA had challenged us in the league and we realized our mistakes which we sorted before entering the regional games. The victory means NIC has defended the title which is a big achievement.”
KCCA’s Shadia Nassanga said her side failed to work as a team which cost them the championship. “The coordination refused and we didn’t play as a team, I think that made us lose the championship, we are not happy as a club because we were fighting for the title, we came hoping to produce a good performance but we failed”. She said
In the same development, Uganda’s Kampala University also edged WOB to win the men’s edition of the championship. The eight-day tournament attracted over 16 teams, both male and female from four countries including Kenya, Zanzibar, Tanzania, and Hosts Uganda.
Uganda had four representatives led by league champions National Insurance Corporation-NIC, Prisons, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), and Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces (UPDF) while Kampala University, and WOB were the only representatives in the men’s edition.
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