With the final shot of the game, Berkley defeated Watoto 57-55 in game one of the FUBA Division One semifinals. This was bizarre game because with less than 7 minutes to go, the game looked as good as done. However, Watoto mounted a comeback and had an opportunity to take the lead.

Going into the fourth quarter, Berkley led the game 40-35. They then made an 11-1 run to extend their lead to 15 points. They looked hungry and Watoto could not match them.

However, Watoto made key baskets that kept them in the game. Mwesigwa Victory made a crucial layup to end Berkley’s run and shortly after, Omara Emmanuel and Elijah NSereko scored back-to-back triples to cut the deficit to 7 points.

Watoto got 2 other opportunities for 3-point shots but they never buried them. Shortly after, Richard Anyunva scored and Caesar Adoke added 2 free throws to make it an 11-point lead with less than 3 minutes to play.

At this point, it was though Berkley experienced a meltdown. They made turnover after turnover and Watoto punished them. In the final 3 minutes, Berkley made 10 turnovers. They turned the ball over on 9 consecutive possessions but when they finally attempted, Opio Emmanuel got the offensive rebound and scored the put back to secure the win. This was a very big let off for Berkley because had they gone in overtime, the most likely outcome would have been a loss.

Coming into the game, Berkley had eliminated Nkumba with a 2-1 win the quarterfinals. Watoto had also won their series 2-1 against the Entebbe Knight Riders.

What made this game special was the fact that these teams had faced off in the 2025 FUBA Division Two finals. This made it a high stakes game and both teams wanted to take the early advantage by winning game one.

Top performers

Richard Anyunva had a spectacular night and he finished with a game-high 22 points, 14 rebounds plus 5 steals. Opio Emmanuel and Caesar Adoke each scored 8 points while Duot Ajang registered 14 rebounds.

Omara Emmanuel registered a double-double with 15 points, 13 rebounds and a game-high 6 steals. Victor Makmot had 15 points plus 5 rebounds while Elijah Nsereko and James Osinde each scored 8 points.

Next game

The teams shall meet for game two on Saturday 4th October at the YMCA. Game one was low scoring and better scoring performances will be expected in game two. However, just like game one, drama will be anticipated in more games.