Gazelles’ Lamunu dares to dream of Afro-basket 

In June 2022, Shilah Lamunu, 18, was instrumental in inspiring the Uganda under-18 women’s basketball team to winning the Africa Zone Five Championship qualifiers.

They then competed at the Africa under-18 basketball championships in August, held in Madagascar. At the time, her dream, was to play for the senior women’s basketball team, The Gazelles. It seemed far-fetched. Yet, seeing that she is part of that team, whose campaign, which began yesterday, to qualify for the Africa Women’s basketball championship later this year, supports the notion that The Gazelles can indeed dare to dream.

Egypt, Rwanda, Kenya, and South Sudan will be standing in the way of Uganda’s dreams for the one qualification slot to a tournament, which will run between July and August in Kigali. And although Uganda has been in camp for a month in the build-up to the qualifiers, the four years without international basketball is one concern for many, that may take its toll.

However, for Lamunu, she is hoping for a fairytale.

“Although I told you I dreamt of playing for the Gazelles, I did not think it would be so soon. And now that it has come, I am excited; ready to give everything.”

Lamunu, who is a former Buddo SS student, has been able to focus on this championship with little distraction since she is in her S6 vacation. Yet, that does not mean she is not feeling the nerves.

She said: “Playing for the under-18s last year, and the under-16s two years ago was a different feeling. The pressure here is huge. But I have good coaches and teammates, who build my confidence.”

Confidence is what has brought Lamunu this far. As the youngest member on the team, assistant coach Nick Natuhereza is buoyed by her good shooting range, work rate, dribbling and athleticism. In Madagascar last year, Lamunu helped Uganda finish fifth of eight teams at the under-18 Afro-basket.

She was ranked 19th best player out of 96, with 47 points in six games. Of the 40 minutes per game, she played 28. On the basis of this, Lamunu is a member on the team whose fairytale run could just be what the doctor prescribed to aid Uganda beat the odds between February 14 and 19 at the Lugogo MTN Arena.