The Friday Night Lights (FNL) basketball tournament, which blends basketball with captivating entertainment and showbiz, is set to make a return this month, kicking off its 10th season this Friday, September 27, at the Lugogo Hockey Grounds.
The tournament will feature eight teams vying for the coveted bragging rights. Familiar faces from last season, such as Team Afande and Team Comfort, will be returning to the court, joined by newcomers like Team Sera, Team Kamwada, Team Obleng, and Team Wazee.
Notably, a fan-selected team from the neighborhood courts, led by Albert Ahabwe, will also be participating.
This year’s tournament is aimed at expanding community engagement amongst basketball communities across Greater Kampala.
Tom Ocamringa, the FNL Team Leader, revealed that the organising team has conducted a series of activations and community engagements at seven different basketball courts in the region.
“This being the 10th FNL season, we thought we would spice things up a little more,” Ocamringa said during the launch of the tournament on Saturday.
“That is why we have done activations and engagements at various basketball courts in Greater Kampala in the lead up to the tip-off, next Friday, September 27, 2024. He added.
According to Ocamringa, the purpose of these community outreach efforts was to foster a spirit of camaraderie and to boost cultural experiences within the local basketball communities.
The FNL Team Leader also emphasized that the activations went beyond mere promotional awareness, as they were also aimed at promoting the growth of the “beautiful game of basketball” by engaging with grassroots communities and expanding the game’s reach.
Adding excitement to this year’s proceedings, the Luol Deng Foundation will be fielding a team, bringing in some South Sudan and NBA flavor to the tournament.
Deng is a two-time NBA All-Star who previously played for the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, and has been the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation since 2019.
