DTB Outlasts Centenary in Thrilling Corporate Basketball Final

The Corporate Sports Network basketball season culminated in a nail-biting final where Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) edged out Centenary Bank to claim the championship title. This victory marks DTB’s emergence as champions in a league that has seen a different winner each of its three seasons.

Centenary Bank had reached the final after a contentious semi-final match against Case Hospital. Case Hospital, the previous year’s champions, had to play without their Most Valuable Player, Luis Kigongo, who was deemed ineligible to participate and instead took on a coaching role. Despite this, Case Hospital put up a fight, but ultimately lost 18-12 to Centenary, who sought revenge for their semi-final exit last year.

In the other semi-final, DTB narrowly defeated Roofings Ltd with a score of 22-20. This set up an all-bankers final, a highly anticipated matchup between two of the financial sector’s top corporate teams.

The final itself was a tense affair. Centenary Bank established a solid 8-3 lead by halftime, seemingly in control of the game. However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the second half. DTB rallied, with key contributions from players like Charles Opio and a surge in performance from Nickson Tumwine, Eva Nabasirye, and Didan Matsiko. The game was tied at 14-14, and the intensity escalated with every possession.

In the closing moments, with the score at 17-16 in favor of Centenary, Patrick Brandon Mwesigye of DTB successfully converted two free throws to give his team a slim 18-17 lead with only nine seconds left. Though Mwesigye missed subsequent free throws that could have extended the lead, Centenary’s final attempt to win the game narrowly missed as the buzzer sounded. DTB held on for the hard-fought 18-17 victory, sparking jubilant celebrations.

“At the start, miscommunication cost us against a very good team. But in the second half we sorted out our mistakes, played as a team and got the victory,” commented Mwesigye, who joined DTB during the quarter-final stage. Centenary’s coach acknowledged the defeat and expressed anticipation for a rematch in the upcoming Bankers’ Gala.

Source: https://www.monitor.ug/uganda/sports/basketball/corporate-basketball-how-dtb-edged-centenary—5581108