The KCCA Panthers closed the first round with a 70-61 victory over the KIU Titans on Sunday 11th at YMCA.

Coming into this game, they had fumbled and lost their previous game 65-63 to the Kampala Rockets.

This was a must-win game for them and they had to take care of business in the absence of their Head Coach Raymond Muhumuza and his assistant Francis Okello.

The Panthers led the game 27-16 after the first quarter and Caesar Kizito was hot from distance.

He made 4 3-point shots and finished with 14 points in the first quarter.

The Titans took the second quarter 20-16 to make it 43-36 at halftime.

They scored 12 second-chance points and picked 7 offensive rebounds and this proved to be the difference in the quarter.

The Panthers broke away in the third quarter after outscoring KIU 20-10 and taking a 17-point into rhe final period.

Davis Asiimwe carried KCCA offensively as he scored 12 of their 20 points to give them a comfortable lead.

The Panthers offense was off in the final quarter but despite that, they had already amassed a good lead and they went on to win the game 70-61.

Match Stats

KCCA Panthers

Davis Asiimwe 15 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl

Caesar Kizito 17 pts, 5 ast, 3 stl

Emmanuel Odongkara 8 pts, 14 reb

KIU Titans

Bang Demasio Difu 14 pts, 11 reb

Charles Saverino 11 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 2 blk

Carlos Isabu 10 pts, 8 reb

The KIU Titans have lost all their 10 games played this season.

They will face Victoria Crocs next on Sunday the 18th and this is their final shot at a victory in the first round.

The KCCA Panthers closed the first round with an 8-3 record and will either finish as number 2 or 3 depending on the result of the JT Jaguars game against the UCU Canons.