Cobra test Warriors in BAL qualifiers

Ulinzi Warriors are in action on Wednesday 8 December against South Sudan's Cobra Sport in their first match of their pool as the Eastern Conference Basketball Africa League (BAL) qualifiers gets underway in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 

Warriors, who picked a win against the same side in the first round qualifiers in Dar es Salaam face a revamped Cobra who have signed among other Monans' centre Tom 'Bush' Wamukota. 

On Tuesday 7 December, Cobra lost their first group match 76-56 to Mozambique's Ferroviario Beira and will come out baying for Warriors blood as this is their only chance to qualify for the semis. 

On their part, Warriors who head to the competition without some of their key players have their work cut out as a win assures them of a place in the last four as they look to fight for a chance to feature in next year's BAL. 

"It is going to be tough but we just have to solider on with the squad we have. I am still confident that we will reach our target which is to qualify for the BAL's mains tournament. 

We face a slightly different squad from the one we did in Dar es Salaam but nothing much will change in how we approach the match. We cannot change a winning formula, only make it better. We are planning to play aggressive ball and try and execute transitional points faster.

Tough test for Warriors as BAL's elite 16 begins

In the first round they score alot of points from beyond the arc so the plan is to also put pressure on their guards so as to force them to play on the paint," offered skipper Eric Mutoro ahead of the match. 

The William Balozi-coached side is looking to finish in the top three of the six-team Conference that has been reduced to six from eight following the withdrawal of Uganda's City Oilers and Tanzania's Kurasini.