BAL Qualifiers: City Oilers Fall Short, Patriots Champions

Brian Kawalya

December 23, 2019
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BAL Qualifiers: City Oilers lost against Maputo. FIBA photo

Sunday, December 23
*Bronze Match: City Oilers (Uganda) 57-74 Ferroviario Maputo (Mozambique)
*Final: Patriots (Rwanda) 94-63 GNBC (Madagascar)

City Oilers’ dream of qualifying for the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL) came to an end after suffering a 57-74 loss to Ferroviario Maputo in a bronze match of the BAL qualifiers played on Sunday at the Kigali Arena.

Do or Die for Oilers Against Maputo

In a winner-qualifies encounter, Oilers were 33-29 up at the long break but the side lacked depth to hold on to their advantage.

Oilers missed Devonte Elliot and Jordin Mayes after the duo picked injuries in the Saturday semifinal loss to Patriots, and the collapse proved inevitable.

Ferroviario Maputo players in emotional celebrations after beating City Oilers to a place in the inaugural 2020 BAL. FIBA

Oilers were very sizzling in the first half but the same cannot be said of the subsequent half including an ugly fourth quarter where they were outscored 9-22.

The collapse started when they went into a deep slumber for Maputo to make a 8-0 starting run in the opening minutes of the third quarter, and Oilers failed to mount any formidable challenge thereafter.

Robinson Opong shot 7-for-12 from the field to garner 18 points, while Jimmy Enabu added 11 for Oilers in a losing effort.

Action between City Oilers (white) and Maputo in a BAL Qualifiers third place match. FIBA

Alvaro calvo masa had a game high 20 points Helton ubisse added 18 before Octavia Magolico and Orlando Novela scored 13 and 14 respectively for the winners.

Maputo joins GNBC and Patriots as the three teams that have qualified for 2020 BAL that will tip off in March.

Patriots defeated GNBC 94-63 to finish as the Division East Champions in a final that failed to live as advertised.

Dieudonne Ndayisaba Ndizeye scored 16 points while Victor Mukama added 18 points for the Rwandan side.

Kenny Gasana (Patriots) goes for a jumper against GNBC in the final at Kigali Arena. FIBA

The 12 Teams That Will Take Part In BAL 2020:

Patriots (Rwanda) GNBC (Madagascar), Ferroviario Maputo (Mozambique), AS Douanes (Senegal), AS Police (Mali), AS Sale (Morocco), GS Petroliers (Algeria), FAP (Cameroon), Petro de Luanda (Angola), Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria), Union Monastir (Tunisia) and Zamalek (Egypt).

Check all BAL Qualifiers results on FIBA official page here