Sunday, September 4
•KCCA Leopards 68-40 Angels
•UCU Lady Canons 70-43 Magic Stormers
•UPDF Tomahawks 64-65 City Oilers
•JKL Dolphins 29-81 UCU Canons
NBL Playoffs Semifinals
Men
•Nam Blazers Vs KIU Titans
•UCU Canons Vs City Oilers
Women:
•JKL Lady Dolphins Vs KCCA Leopards
•UCU Lady Canons Vs KIU Rangers
City Oilers and UCU Canons have set up a mouthwatering semifinal after advancing through with respective sweeps at the quarters in the Tusker-Lite sponsored NBL playoffs on Sunday.
City Oilers eliminated UPDF while UCU Canons eased past JKL Dolphins to set up a repeat of 2019 final when Oilers needed game seven to clinch their seventh consecutive title.
The Oilers beat UPDF in a controversial game two on Sunday that was highlighted with the former’s coach Mande Juruni being given an ejection late in the fourth quarter
And the Tomahawks were on course to level the series before James Okello laid up at the buzzer to garner wild celebrations from Oilers and their fans.
There was a long standstill midway through the fourth quarter when Wilberforce Pirwoth was wrongly judged to have charged on Oilers’ Francis Azolibe, a call by referee Monica Nassuna that was welcomed by protests from some rowdy UPDF officials and fans.
But the Tomahawks will have themselves to blame for failing to kill off the game when David Opolot missed an uncontested lay up down the stretch in an eventful affair.
The validity of Okello’s game-winning lay up was contested by UPDF who claimed that it was made when the clock had already expired, but video replays showed that there was still a second on the clock!
UPDF who were cheered on by a couple of their supporters clad in army uniform bowed out in agony, but with some pride after keeping the seven-time champions to the ropes in game two which they led by 11 points at halftime.
Arthur Wanyoto scored a double double of 19 points and 16 rebounds in a losing effort while Ben Komakech turned back the clock for Oilers in a vintage show to finish with 17 points.
UCU on the other hand, rolled over JKL Dolphins to win 81-29 in a game the latter failed to score a single basket in the second quarter!
Fadhil Chuma led the way with 14 points and 13 rebounds while Peter Sifuma and Jerry Kayanga equally shared 26 points.
Nam Blazers and KIU Titans who also swept KCCA Panthers and Power respectively meet in the other Semifinal.
These semifinals are played on the best of five (first on three wins) format.
In the Women’s division, KCCA Leopards and UCU Lady Canons won their decisive matchups on Sunday. KCCA will face off with seeding one JKL while UCU meet KIU Rangers.
These semis start on Friday with JKL Ladies Vs KCCA (Women) while Nam Blazers Vs KIU Titans (Men).
