Saturday, April 29, 2023

• City Oilers 70-72 Al Ahly
• Ferroviario Beira 76-101 Petro de Luanda

City Oilers were so close to registering their first BAL win but fell short to Al Ahly in the Basketball Africa League on Saturday.

The Oilers fought from down 33 points but came short of finishing the assignment by only a basket.

It was the second loss of the eight-time NBL champion who was handed a false start by Angola’s Petro de Luanda.

It was a live wire end to the game as the final play of the game nearly guided Mande Juruni’s charges past hosts Al Ahly.

The Oilers played the fourth quarter like their lives were dependent on it. They managed to score 34 points of the 70 collected in 40 minutes.

Falando Jones would have won the entertaining duel but was denied a clear sight to the hoop hence setting up Titus Lual who failed to beat the buzzer.

This was after tactician Juruni called a time-out to design the downfall of the Egyptian side with just two seconds but the attack yielded no fruit.

At full-time, there was no celebration from either side as City Oilers covered their faces in disappointment while Ah Ahly still contemplated how they survived the scare.

The Oilers will feel undone with their low conversion rate. They only scored 11 of 21 attempts on the free line. While only seven of the 24 three-point attempts fell.

Germaine Roebuck Jr topped Uganda’s scoring chart with 28 points as Falando and James Justice Jr added 15 and 11 respectively.

Next on the menu for City Oilers is SLAC on Tuesday as they seek their maiden win at the grand continental stage.

Thursday, April 27, 2023

• SLAC vs Cape Town
• Petro Atletico vs City Oilers

City Oilers captain James Okello is confident that they have enough in their arsenal to register a perfect start to the Basketball Africa League (BAL).

The eight-time Uganda champions will take on last year’s BAL finalists Petro Atletico de Luanda in the first game of their maiden show at BAL.

“Since we touched down in Egypt, it’s been working as we prepare for our opening game. We have had great sessions that have helped us find a combination and rhythm as a team,” Okello told the club media.

“The new guys that joined us are doing well and are coping with the team. The chemistry is great and we are ready for tomorrow’s game. It’s been a dream to play at such a level and we can not wait to get underway,” he added.

According to Okello, it’s not all about City Oilers as a club but more about representing Uganda and doing what it takes to see that lift the black-yellow-red flag as high as possible.

“We call upon all Ugandans to rally behind the team and push the boys. We are here to support the represent Uganda, We are here to represent 256 so I call everyone to come on board and help us achieve the set target, he concluded.

Mandy Juruni’s side has been tremendous back home winning all the 10 games played at home and will seek to extend the alluring form to the biggest stage in Africa.

They have beefed up the squad and their 12-man roster reads; James Justice Jr, Jones Fallando, Germain Roebuck, AdulKarim Ghedi, Edrine Walujjo, James Okello, Titus Lual, Fayed Bbaale, Ivan Muwhwezi, Jimmy Enabu and Tony Drileba.

The Oilers are the first team from Uganda to play at the BAL and the target will be securing a spot in the top four of the Nile Conference so that they qualify for the playoffs that will be held at the Kigali Arena, Rwanda in May (21-28).