Namuwongo Blazers have no plans of showing up for the National Basketball League Finals Game One scheduled for Friday night at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium.
The Road To BAL Elite 16 bound side points to the fact that the official communication made by Fuba confirmed that the finals would tip off on October 26 and not 24.
The finals were initially scheduled to start on October 7 but were postponed to allow the Blazers time to prepare and take part in the Road To BAL Division East Group phase.
Namuwongo ended up winning one game and losing another, which was enough to send them to the Elite 16 slated for November.
‘Namuwongo Blazers BC remains committed to honoring the October 26 start date as previously agreed and communicated,’ the club announced on Thursday morning.
The statement signed off by club CEO Daniel Muttu Obol, added: ‘We are ready to play on Sunday, October 26, and we urge FUBA to respect the integrity of its commitments. Our players, fans, and partners deserve clarity, fairness, and respect.
“We call upon FUBA to reaffirm its position and restore confidence in the governance of our beloved game. We are ready to compete, but we must do so under conditions that uphold the values of sportsmanship and mutual respect.’
According to Fuba General Secretary Hudson Ssegamwenge, however, communication was done and in ample time.
‘We shared the fixture on October 17 and communicated the changes on October 20,’ Ssegamwenge told Daily Monitor.
The Blazers, though, argue that the fixture release and eventual communication came while the team was already away in Tanzania.
The 2022 losing finalists revealed: ‘This sudden change contradicted the earlier agreement and disrupted our carefully planned activities. Consequently, on October 19, 2025, we wrote to FUBA seeking clarity, citing the General Secretary’s earlier confirmation of the October 26 start date,’
The Competitions Committee chairman wrote back to the Blazers on October 21 responding to the Blazers subsequent letter indicating that the fixture released was final.
According to Fuba and the League committee, action is expected to continue as scheduled on Friday, with the JKL Lady Dolphins and JT Lady Jaguars facing off in the women’s category and later Oilers and the Blazers.
‘The game will go on as scheduled,’ Ssegamwenge confirmed.
In the event that the Blazers do not turn up for the fixture, Ssegamwenge reveals that they would start the series with 2-0 down, according to the competition rules that double the punishment for any forfeited game.
The rules stipulate that a team can lose by forfeiture if 15 minutes after the scheduled starting time, the club is not present or is unable to field five players ready to play or if its actions prevent the game from being played.
It remains to be seen whether the situation will escalate to that.
National Basketball League Finals
Game One
Friday -Lugogo
JKL v. JT L. Jaguars, 7pm
Nam Blazers vs. City Oilers, 9pm