Wednesday, October 16
*City Oilers ?? 71-57 Dynamo ??
*JKT ?? 87-47 Hawassa ??
Thursday, October 17
*Dynamo ?? 64-73 Patriots ??
*Hawassa ?? 49-100 City Oilers ??
Friday, October 18
*Patriots ?? 125-50 Hawassa ??
*City Oilers ?? 85-56 JKT ??
Saturday, October 19
*Hawassa ?? 43-90 Dynamo ??
*JKT ?? 65-79 Patriots ??
Sunday, October 20
*Patriots ?? 74-63 City Oilers ??
*Dynamo ?? 68-88 JKT ??
City Oilers and Rwanda’s Patriots advanced to the next round of the Basketball Africa League qualifying round slated for next month and December.
Going into their last group D game against Patriots on Sunday, Oilers had achieved their main target after beating Dynamo, Hawassa and JKT.
However, the side ended the tourney on a low note with a 63-74 loss to Patriots on Sunday as the Rwanda’s side ended the tourney unbeaten.
Landry Ndikumana scored 22 points and added nine rebounds while Jordin Mayes and Robinson Opong Odoch managed 13 points each for the Ugandan outfits in the losing effort.
Michael Makiadi (14), Guiberty Nujimbere (14), Kenneth Gasana (13) and Dieuddonne Ndaisaba (11) scored in double figures as they proved to be a menace for Mandy Juruni’s side.
The six time defending back to back NBL champions were punished for their slow start, trailing 10-18 after the first quarter and could not maintain their impressive second quarter 9-0 run when they were thwarted in the third.
The side fluffed 10-24 on the free throw line, were 7-25 from outside the three point range, huffed and puffed down the stretch but 14 turnovers in total could later prove costly.
Nigerian import Francis Chisioke Azolibe was sidelined because of an injury while Ben Komakech, Daniel Najja Jjuuko and Abel Omongin never stepped on court in a pulsating affair.
The victory for Patriots is an indicator and proof of how Rwanda’s basketball has caught up with Uganda’s, and it gives Patriots more confidence going forward.
It’s surely going to be rougher in the second window, but more additions in the Oilers’ roster looks inevitable, especially in the front court.
