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Back to normal: NBL returns with one man less for the 2022 regular season.

Back to normal: NBL returns with one man less for the 2022 regular season.

The return and start of the 2022 Federation of Uganda Basketball Association National Basketball league action is scheduled to commence on Friday. 11. March. 2022.

Basketball fans will now like before the outbreak of Corona Virus pandemic have their basketball days circled in their calendars with the return of league action.

 For the past two years, basketball like any other game in the country had taken a forced break as a result of a national lockdown by government on all social and sporting events; a measure that was employed to curb on the spread of the pandemic.

But now all is back to normal once again and teams are warming up for serious basketball since 2019. As the season rolls out again, the play-in system set to be embraced is that of a league format where teams will play each other twice; home and away in the regular season.  At the end of the regular season, the top eight will qualify for the playoffs from which the league champion will be determined.

 Attractive double-header will tipoff this season with defending champion City Oilers hosting Nam Blazers and KCCA Leopards facing KIU Rangers in the women’s opener.

However it will be a no show for basketball house hold name Warriors this season. The two times national league champions in 2009 and 2012 failed to fulfill all the required the league requirements and thus been excluded from the fixtures; meaning that, for Warriors to get back to top flight basketball, they will have to start afresh from the development league, through up the ranks.

The consolation of Warriors being out of the NBL will be the arrival of Tropical Royals who will be playing in the top flight for the very first time and the return of Entebbe Road based team Our Saviours. Both teams got promoted clubs to the NBL this season on sporting merit.

This season's league shall have up to 13 teams for both men and women; with the first round expected to run from Friday. 11th. March. 2022 to Sunday.15th.May. 2022. However, at the end of the second round of the season, three teams shall be relegated and teams two promoted; meaning that the number of top flight teams will be cut down from 14 teams (2019) to 12 teams.

All the games will be played at Lugogo and the YMCA courts.

In the latest development, Sanyuka Television a Next Media Services station dedicated to local sports will broadcast some the league matches after sealing a 5-year partnership with FUBA.

FUBA also confirmed a partnership continuation with Tusker Lite as the league's main sponsor. Tusker Lite announced an improved package of Ug. Shs. 200,000,000 million towards this season.

Game time on Friday. 11th. March. 2022  at the MTN Sports Arena, Lugogo.

KCCA Leopards Vs KIU @ 5pm

City Oilers Vs Nam Blazers @ 7 pm

Story by Joseph Mary Ssempiira, www.sportznow.ug writer.

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