St. Mary’s Boarding Secondary School, Kitende delivered a performance of authority and composure to reclaim the 2026 Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) National Netball Championship, edging Buddo Secondary School 22–18 in a pulsating final in Gulu City.
The highly attended finale, staged on Thursday, July 16 at Gulu High School grounds, lived up to its billing—an intense, high-quality contest between two of Uganda’s elite school netball institutions.
At the core of Kitende’s triumph was the commanding presence of shooter Angelina Nyemok, whose clinical finishing under the post proved decisive.
She was ably complemented by Basalirwa Hadijah, with the shooting circle operating at an exceptional conversion rate, consistently punishing Buddo’s defensive pairing of Faimah Namulinda and Stabua Muajuma.
In midcourt, Fatumah Namwanje and Rahmah Namuyomba dictated tempo and territory with precision.
Their distribution and spatial awareness ensured a seamless supply into attack, effectively outmaneuvering Buddo’s engine room led by Agnes Nairuba and Fortunate Kizito.
The duo’s ability to control transitions kept Kitende on the front foot for extended phases of the match.
Defensively, Kitende executed a key tactical masterstroke through the deployment of Dilayah Nabbowa, whose disciplined marking neutralized Buddo’s goal shooter Arek, significantly blunting their attacking threat.
Kitende’s route to the title was equally emphatic. In the semifinals, they dismantled St. Noa Girls Secondary School 26–17 in a high-stakes encounter, securing not only a place in the final but also qualification for the forthcoming FEASSA Games scheduled for August 12–22 in Morogoro, Tanzania.
Buddo Secondary School, the defending champions, had earlier navigated a challenging path—defeating Kibuli Secondary School 23–16 in the quarterfinals before edging Hamdan Islamic Secondary School 22–19 in a tightly contested semifinal.
Hamdan had reached the last four after overcoming Greenlight Islamic Secondary School 20–18, while St. Noa advanced via a narrow 24–23 win over Katende Progressive following a successful petition against Kyantamba Secondary School.
Kitende’s campaign was defined by tactical discipline and attacking efficiency.
A commanding 28–16 victory over Light College Katikamu in the quarterfinals set the tone before their composed semifinal display against St. Noa underlined their championship credentials.
For St. Noa, the semifinal hurdle proved insurmountable despite flashes of resilience, as Kitende maintained control for large stretches of the contest.
This triumph marks Kitende’s 20th national title, further cementing their legacy as the dominant force in Ugandan schools’ netball.
Remarkably, since 2001, only three schools have lifted the USSSA national crown—Kitende (20 titles), St. Julian High School Gayaza (2013), and Buddo Secondary School (2025)—a statistic that underscores Kitende’s enduring supremacy.
