Landry Ndikumana, the team captain, led the way for the Burundian side, Urunani with 18 points and seven rebounds.
On Friday night, Burundi team Urunani defeated hosts Army Basketball Club 70-45 at the Benjamin Mkapa Indoor Stadium in the first game of Group C qualifiers for the Road To BAL 2023.
Captain Landry was a breeze to have on his side and put on a fantastic performance. After a failed layup, the center picked a rebound to score his team’s first points. Guibert Nijimbere, Urunani’s point guard, scored 10 points in his team’s defeat against its East African opponents.
The Burundian club concluded the first quarter stronger, racking up points in the last minutes. Urunani won the quarter 21-7 thanks to four three-pointers, with Ndikumana leading the way with seven points and five rebounds.
The Tanzanians also managed to score some points, with guard Mohamed Mwenda hitting two three-pointers with precision. The Burundian club went into the break on top (40-22).
In the third quarter, the home team appeared to have found some offensive flow. Tyrone Leopald had four points, while Fadhili Chuma scored on a fluid passing play with Alinan Musongole. They attempted to reduce the lead, but Urunani proved too strong, winning the third quarter 53-36.
The Burundian club was superior in all aspects of the game and deserved their 25-point victory in the end.
“I feel good about my contribution. I thank my team, we were all focused on the game and everyone gave their best,” said Landry.
Landry’s next game today will be against his previous Ugandan team, City Oilers. For numerous years, the center helped the Oilers win championships. The Oilers also had their first game against Zambia’s Matero Magic.
The Oilers defeated Matero Magic brilliantly, winning 90-51. This result puts them and Urunani among the favorites to advance to the Elite 16 round of this Group C qualification.
Vashon Roebuck from the United States led the scoring with 26 points, while Sudanese center Maker Maker (14) and shooting guard Tony Drileba (13) also helped to the Oilers’ victory.
Urunani, Landry’s team, will face the City Oilers today in a contest that will determine who will finish top in this group.
