The air at Seeta University grounds felt heavy on Saturday, thick with the scent of dust and damp grass as St. Michael High School Ssonde finally broke through. They grabbed their first-ever Mukono regional boys’ basketball title, and honestly, the tension was something else. It wasn’t a blowout by any means—it finished 35–32 against Seeta High A Compass—but the way they clawed back from a 12–5 hole in the first quarter? That was grit, pure and simple. By halftime, they had cut the lead to 20–19. It felt like the momentum just shifted on its own.
Looking back at how they got here, you can’t ignore the semifinal. They took out the defending champs, St. Cyprian High School Kyabakadde, with a 42–28 scoreline that had everyone on their feet. Or maybe not everyone, but the officials were definitely sweating. Kyabakadde ended up in third place, mostly because Seeta High Main Campus didn’t bother showing up for the playoff match, which, well, that’s just how these things go sometimes.
Misryoum gathered that Coach Cyrus Mponye was rightfully proud of his squad. He kept talking about how the competition was really high this year and how every team had stepped up their game. “We used our chances well and we were lucky,” he told Misryoum. It was a humble take, I guess, especially after such a grueling final where execution was everything. Jerome Kasingabalya, the coach for Seeta High A, was pretty gracious about it, too. He admitted they had their chances— “On another day we could have taken it”—but ultimately, St. Michael just executed better. That’s sports, right? You win some, you lose some.
Meanwhile, the girls’ category was a completely different story. Seroma Christian High School kept their crown with a massive 45–22 win over Naalya SS. It wasn’t even close, honestly. Kyabakadde rounded things out there with a 33–12 win over Seeta High for third place.
So, what’s next? All the boys’ semifinalists are heading to the National Ball Games I, which—and this is a big deal—are being hosted by Seroma Christian High School right here in Mukono. Forest Hill College managed to snag the fifth slot, so they’re in the mix, too.
Richard Muhumuza, the zone sports officer, is already looking ahead. He’s pushing for everyone to keep their edge. “We performed well last year and now we want to do even better at the nationals since we are hosting this year,” he noted to Misryoum. It’s a lot of pressure to host and compete, but they seem ready. Or at least, they’re talking the talk. Whether they can back it up when the national stage lights turn on? That remains to be seen—I suppose we’ll find out soon enough.