St. Mary’s Boarding School Kitende head coach Noordin Kato made good use of the opportunity presented to him by his bosses to choose his assistant, selecting Charles Sserungaya from Kawanda SS, where he had been instrumental in the school’s superb performances.
The decision paid off immediately as the duo guided Kitende to a dramatic come-from-behind 27-26 victory over Buddo SS after extra time in the USSSA Ball Games II Wakiso Region Netball U-20 final played at Mwererwe Grounds on Friday, June 19.
It was the first assignment for the pair together, and they passed the test in thrilling fashion.
The victory also extended Kitende’s rivalry with Buddo SS, who had gone into the match with the upper hand, having won two of the previous three meetings, including a memorable triumph at the Elite Games in Bombo.
Buddo SS started strongly and led by two goals at halftime. However, Kitende bounced back in the second half to level matters at 18-18 at full time.
In extra time, Kitende moved ahead to lead 23-20 at the break, but Buddo SS rallied once again to restore parity.
With both teams determined not to surrender possession in the closing stages, Kitende capitalised on a late opportunity to snatch victory in the dying moments.
The comeback was heavily fuelled by Sarah Basalirwa’s eagle eye for tricky passes to shooter Angelina Nyumok. Nonetheless, performances from both sides remained trailblazing, with the coaches earning high praise for their tactical masterclasses.
In the Buddo SS technical area, Jesse Asiimwe also impressed, pushing Kato all the way in a battle of tacticians. Asiimwe works closely with respected coach Haruna Ssempungu.
To complete the podium, St. Noa Girls overwhelmed Kawanda SS, who had earlier struggled to eliminate Kisozi High School in a closely contested match they won 37-35 after extended extra time.
The top ten teams from the regional qualifiers, which commenced on Wednesday, June 17 and attracted 36 schools, will represent Wakiso Region at the USSSA Ball Games II Nationals in Gulu.
Qualified Teams:
- St. Mary’s Boarding School Kitende
- Buddo SS
- St. Noa Girls
- Kawanda SS
- Light College Katikamu
- Greenlight Islamic Nansana
- Kisozi High School
- Kajjansi Progressive
- Maryland High School
- Light High School Sseguku
