Uganda Silverbacks head coach Mandy Juruni remained upbeat despite his side’s 89-83 defeat to Rwanda in their opening friendly as they prepare for the upcoming FIBA World Cup Qualifiers window in Luanda-Angola, choosing instead to focus on the positives from a promising display.
Playing together for only the third day, the Silverbacks showed both their potential and areas that need improvement, especially after mounting an impressive second half comeback.
“It was good to see the boys compete,” Juruni said after the game. “There were so many good things that we did. Obviously, there are mistakes we made, but as a whole, we played four quarters and lost one. So many lessons again.”
Uganda made a bright start, edging the opening quarter 23-20. But a disastrous second quarter saw Rwanda score 36 points to open up an 18-point lead and take a commanding 56-38 advantage into halftime.
The Silverbacks returned a different side after the break. They tightened up defensively and improved offensively, reducing the deficit to as little as three points on several occasions as they threatened an unlikely comeback.
For Juruni, that response was the biggest takeaway; “One thing that really stood out for me was the second-half offense and defence,” he said. “We brought the game to three or four points. There were a lot of good things during that spell.”
The team has already turned its attention to correcting the mistakes that proved costly. After reviewing footage from the game, the Silverbacks worked on the identified weaknesses during training.
Captain Robinson Opong also played down the defeat, describing the friendly as an important learning experience.
“It was an interesting game. It was our first scrimmage and we made a lot of mistakes as a team, but that’s what these games are for,” Opong said.
“They showcase your strengths, but at the same time expose your weaknesses. So it’s nothing to be alarmed about.”
The Silverbacks are set to receive a timely boost, with Marvin Musiime already joining camp while star player Devine Sibande is expected to arrive on Sunday.
Uganda will have an immediate chance to put lessons into practice when they face Rwanda again on Saturday after the friendly with South Sudan being called off due to logistical and roster delays on South Sudan’s side, as the majority of their traveling squad has not yet arrived in camp
