After back-to-back losses against the UCU Canons and the Kampala Rockets, the Namuwongo Blazers faithful have been quite angry more so with the game against the Rockets.

After that game, the Blazers were in the locker room for an extended period and it is said that, the management, which was displeased had some things to say to them.

After that talk, Tonny Drileba shared a long conversation with the coach for about 20 minutes and it is most likely that they were talking about the games.

Those long talks are significant because it shows that people are concerned and that is very important for a team that wants to win.

As a Namuwongo Blazers fan, should you be worried?

I don’t think people should be worried but rather concerned when it comes to the Blazers.

Even the level of concern depends on a number of things and I’ll be discussing some of them.

1. Margin of defeat

The Blazers have lost by a combined 6 points in the 2 games and in both of these games, they had the lead with under a minute left.

In the game against the UCU Canons, one can say that they were very unfortunate.

The way the events played out in the final seconds of the game is something that happens once in a blue moon.

When it comes to the game against the Rockets, the turnover by Tonny Drileba very late in the game also had a big impact.

Even after that, they had a chance to take the lead and another to tie the game but missed on the 2 occasions.

That being said, this means that the game could have gone either way but a mistake here and there late in the game cost them.

If you are a fan and you see this, you need not be worried because you know that these players are human and sometimes they could get a lapse here and there and i believe these 2 games have showed us that.

If the Blazers had been dominated or lost by big margins, then perhaps people should have been worried but that is not the case.

2. Losing close games

In most of the games in the first round, the Nam Blazers were very dominant and closed the games early.

There were instances like in the game against the City Oilers and UCU Canons were the game was there for the taking for either team but they managed to close.

This time around, they were unable to close the games and that should be a source of concern for the fans.

Had it been a one-off, it wouldn’t be a problem, but losing back-to-back close games is not something that the fans want to hear more so after a team had been dominant.

This shows that maybe the team is not at the level they were on or that the competition has tried to level up but nonetheless, the Blazers’ players have vast experience and are expected to close games.

3. New Signings/Combinations

Like any other team that wants to win, the Blazers made reinforcements and we have seen them in action on numerous occasions.

I’m not saying that the new signings are the cause of the losses but things have changed and there is a period of adjustment, perhaps these  adjustments have played a big part in the defeats.

The team has had to change the set up to accommodate Ivan Muhwezi and Anthony Chukwurah while Ezeani Okuchwuku is yet to play.

Namuwongo Blazers coaching staff has to find new combinations and partnerships offensively and defensively to help them elevate themselves.

Assessing how different players perform together while on court is important as it could come in handy come playoff time.

4. Playoffs

The time the playoffs come around is important because of a number of reasons.

As of now, the fixture shows that the regular season ends on 25th July.

However, rumors have it that the Silverbacks camp may start on 1st August.

Between the end of the regular season and the start of the camp, there’s a only a few playoff games that you can play.

Most likely, the playoffs will be played in August and September after the Afrobasket.

This means that the Blazers, just like any other team, will have ample time to prepare and make all the necessary adjustments with the aim of winning the championship.

That period is where the most work has to be done and if you’re a fan, you should not be worried while knowing that there is still a long time between now and the playoffs.

In Short:

The Namuwongo Blazers’ aim this year is to win the Championship and qualify for the Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Whether they lose all their remaining regular season games, that won’t count for much because it is not where they will be judged.

The most important thing for the Blazers is to win the Championship and whatever they do, whether it is to experiment, in order to make sure they are ready for when the right time comes, you have to let them be.

Nonetheless, if you are fan, you don’t want to see your team losing but all in all, these games don’t count for much.

Blazers fans should be worried if they fall to Sommet but they should keep in mind, the playoffs are the ones that count.