The International Schools Alumni League (ISA) enters its decisive final Matchday with the championship still wide open after a weekend that combined competitive football, the inaugural basketball tournament and a new individual skills competition.
The All-Star Weekend added a new dimension to the three-season-old league, bringing together alumni from different schools while giving players and supporters an opportunity to compete outside the regular league format.
But as attention shifts back to the title race, AKSA Hawks, Harambe, Kabojja Warriors and AK47z remain mathematically capable of lifting the championship.
The Hawks lead the standings on 25 points, one ahead of Harambe, with Kabojja on 23 and AK47z on 20.
The football programme featured Budo League opposition against the two ISA All-Star teams.
Budo edged ISA All-Star 2 by a goal before ISA All-Star 1 responded with a 4-3 victory in an entertaining encounter.
The weekend also saw the introduction of the All-Star Gauntlet, an individual skills competition designed to test players in areas ranging from accuracy and power to composure, balance and one-on-one ability.
Arthur Jagwer, ISA Director of Football, said the competition was created to shift the focus from team performance to individual ability.
“The thinking behind the All-Star Gauntlet was to create a high-voltage spectacle where individual brilliance takes centre stage over team cohesion. A stage where players could put their ego on the line, test themselves and ultimately prove exactly who is who,” Jagwer said.
The Gauntlet featured five challenges: The Queen’s Golden Gate, Ironman Crossbar Challenge, Ice from the Spot, King of the Pitch and The Juggle Juice.
Lorna won The Queen’s Golden Gate, Lebron took the Ironman Crossbar Challenge, while Sunday prevailed in Ice from the Spot. Jordan, Peter and Malek shared the King of the Pitch title, while Nather won The Juggle Juice.
The competition also gave supporters a chance to participate, with some fans managing to win individual challenges.
Jagwer said organisers hope to build on the inaugural edition in future All-Star Weekends.
“We’re hoping this is just the beginning, and that future All-Star Gauntlets will raise the stakes even higher, delivering even bigger moments, greater intensity and unforgettable competition in the years to come,” he said.
Vienna launches basketball project
The weekend also marked the debut of the ISA Basketball Tournament, expanding the alumni league beyond football.
Teams from Aga Khan Schools, Gems Cambridge International School, Vienna College, British School of Kampala and Hana International School Uganda participated, alongside guest side King’s College Budo.
Vienna Titans reached the semi-finals after recording a 30-29 defeat and a 30-28 victory against AKSA Legends. Their campaign ended with a 13-9 loss to Hana Uncles.
For Vienna College Alumni Association president Isaiah Daniel Juuko, reaching the semi-finals in the inaugural tournament was an encouraging start.
“Being the first of its kind, I can’t thank the players enough because just getting to the semifinals wasn’t as easy as it seemed. It took courage and resilience given the fact that the majority of players weren’t fit enough, but they put up a fight,” Juuko said.
He said the tournament exposed considerable talent within the Vienna alumni community and identified several players as potential building blocks for a stronger team.
“Once the players work on their fitness levels then no one shall stop them. The talent is actually there,” he said.
The Vienna alumni leadership plans to establish regular training sessions and attract more players, with the possibility of registering two teams next season.
“We actually plan to register two teams for the next season so that more players are involved,” Juuko said.
The inaugural basketball title went to Gems Warriors, who defeated Hana Uncles 11-10 in the final. Gems Warriors’ Mugina Karugire was named MVP and Best Defensive Player, while Joshua Bwakanda of AKSA Legends was recognised as Top Shooter.
Hawks retain advantage in title race
While the All-Star events provided the weekend’s entertainment, Matchday Six further tightened the ISA League standings.
Harambe defeated AK47z 1-0 to move within a point of leaders AKSA Hawks.
The Hawks responded with a 2-1 victory over KISU Lions to retain top spot, while Kabojja Warriors kept their title ambitions alive with a 3-0 win against ISU Leopards.
SVKDS edged Taibah Spartans 1-0, while Taibah Olympians recorded the day’s biggest win, defeating Tank Hill Titans 5-3.
Vienna Titans, meanwhile, suffered another setback, losing 2-0 to Rainbow OGS.
The defeat compounded a difficult Season Three campaign for Vienna, despite earlier signs of improvement.
Juuko urged the players not to be discouraged by the results.
“The players should never feel disheartened by the few bad results but instead look at them as a lesson to get better. The future is really bright and we shall keep on giving them the necessary support,” he said.
Final Matchday promises a dramatic finish
The final Matchday could produce the closest title finish in the league’s three-season history.
AKSA Hawks — 25 points
The Hawks enter the final day with the advantage but face a crucial meeting with second-placed Harambe at 2:00pm before taking on Spartans at 5:00pm.
Victory against Harambe would put the leaders in a strong position to claim the title, while defeat could hand the initiative to their closest challengers.
Harambe — 24 points
Harambe’s first fixture against the Hawks could prove decisive.
A win would take them to the top of the table, although they would still have to negotiate their later match against WOLIS Saints.
With only one point separating the two sides, Harambe remain firmly in the title hunt.
Kabojja Warriors — 23 points
Kabojja must first overcome Olympians at noon to maintain their challenge.
Three points would keep them within touching distance of the leaders, but their hopes will also depend on results involving the top two sides.
AK47z — 20 points
AK47z have the toughest route to the championship.
They face Spartans at 2:00pm and Vienna at 4:00pm. Although they remain mathematically alive, they require maximum points and favourable results elsewhere to keep their title hopes alive.
Final Matchday fixtures
12:00pm–12:55pm
- Olympians vs Kabojja
- SVKDS vs Vienna
1:00pm–1:55pm
- Rainbow vs Tank Hill Titans
- KISU vs WOLIS Saints
2:00pm–2:55pm
- AK47z vs Spartans
- Hawks vs Harambe
3:00pm–3:55pm
- Olympians vs Rainbow
- SVKDS vs Tank Hill Titans
4:00pm–4:55pm
- ISU vs KISU
- Vienna vs AK47z
5:00pm–5:55pm
- WOLIS Saints vs Harambe
- Hawks vs Spartans
Vienna could play spoiler
Although Vienna Titans are out of the title race, their final fixtures could still influence the destination of the championship.
The Titans face SVKDS at noon before taking on AK47z at 4:00pm. The latter fixture could become particularly important if AK47z remain in contention by that stage.
For Vienna, the final Matchday also provides an opportunity to end a difficult campaign on a positive note and potentially affect the outcome at the top of the table.
Beyond the league standings, the All-Star Weekend demonstrated the expanding ambitions of the ISA League. The introduction of basketball and the All-Star Gauntlet provided new opportunities for alumni to participate, while also strengthening links between former students from different schools.
For Vienna, the basketball debut has opened another avenue for alumni engagement, with plans for regular training and potentially two teams next season.
The football title, however, remains the immediate prize.
With AKSA Hawks leading on 25 points, Harambe on 24, Kabojja on 23 and AK47z on 20, the championship remains undecided heading into the final Matchday.
