By Michael Ainomugisha

The UCU Lady Canons delivered one of the strongest performances in Uganda Christian University’s history on the global stage, winning bronze at the 2025 FISU 3×3 Basketball World Cup in Brasília, Brazil. The team defeated Huazhong University 18–15 in a tense third-place playoff to finish among the top three teams in the world, becoming the first African university team to reach this level in the competition.

The win brought a fitting end to a remarkable campaign that saw the Lady Canons push past some of the toughest opponents at the tournament. Led by captain Shillah Lamunu Aber, the squad showed discipline, composure, and hunger from the opening game to the final whistle of the bronze medal match.

The Lady Canons opened their World Cup action with a commanding 19–11 victory over the University of Seville. Tracy Namugosa stood out, scoring key baskets and anchoring the defence as UCU secured their first win in Pool A. They followed this with a hard-fought 17–15 win against the University of Chile in a game that demanded physicality and teamwork to close out.

With two wins in two games, the Lady Canons progressed to the knockout stage for the first time since the university made its FISU 3×3 debut in 2015.

In the quarterfinals, they produced one of the tournament’s biggest results, beating the University of Valencia 20–16 and booking a historic place in the semifinals.

UCU Lady Canons' semifinal clash against Vasyl Stefanyk University from Ukraine pushed both teams to the limit. The game ended 15–15 in regular time before heading into overtime, where UCU narrowly lost 17–16. The defeat set up a bronze medal game against Huazhong University from China.

In the third-place game, the Lady Canons refused to let the semifinal setback define their night. They fought with grit, controlled key possessions, and kept their defensive shape. With the scores tight and the clock ticking down, UCU pulled away to seal an 18–15 win and secure a podium finish for the first time in their history.

The squad of Shillah Lamunu Aber, Sylvia Nantongo, Martina Anyango, and Tracy Namugosa wrote a new chapter for UCU basketball. They became the first African team to reach the semifinals of the FISU 3×3 World Cup and the first to earn a medal.

Vice Chancellor Professor Aaron Mushengyezi congratulated the team, saying, “Excellent. Congratulations to our gallant Team Uganda Christian University on winning bronze at the FISU World Cup. We are very proud of them.”

The Director of Student Affairs, Pamela Tumwebaze, hailed the achievement, calling the Lady Canons “the first African team to reach this far”, a statement that reflects the significance of the team’s historic run.

At the same tournament, UCU was represented by the UCU Canons (men), Joel Kayiira, Amara Ariho, Flore Dushime, and Daniel Muganzi but fell short on podium finish.

After proudly carrying the African, Ugandan, and UCU flags in Brazil, the Lady Canons return home as global medallists and continental trailblazers. Their journey, marked by resilience and strong team spirit, stands as one of the greatest achievements in UCU sports history.