Prime
Lual: We are now underdogs
City Oilers' Titus Lual is managing expectations. PHOTOS/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
There are not many games the nine-time champions have gone into wearing that tag but with only ten players dressed for the game, Oilers were expected to have a long night against a deep Blazers’ side.
Going into the wekeend's gigantic clash with Namuwongo Blazers, City Oilers were in an unfamiliar underdog position due to events that have transpired at the club over the last one month.
There are not many games the nine-time champions have gone into wearing that tag but with only ten players dressed for the game, Oilers were expected to have a long night against a deep Blazers’ side.
Departures of the trio of Jimmy Enabu, James Okello and Tonny Drileba left the Oilers depleted and on the other hand made the other challengers believe this could be the season to pounce and grab the title.
But from the jump on Friday, in a sold out Lugogo Indoor Stadium, Andrew Tendo’s charges were in control and went on to defeat the Blazers 67-58 to improve their record to 16-1 in the fight for top spot.
Nam Blazers fans had little to cheer about.
Key in the victory was big man Titus Lual, who recorded 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks. The reigning National Basketball League MVP shot four-for-five from downtown to silence the largely partisan crowd that cheered on the Blazers.
“The difference was literally the heart, the effort,” Lual said after the game.
“We managed to move the ball, executed our plays and eventually got the win,” he added.
From the onset, the Oilers dictated the tempo of the game and relied on Mer Maker to lead 15-09 at the end of the first quarter.
Nam Blazers' Paul Odong (in red) drives the ball with City Oilers Titus Lual (C) and Fayed Bbaale defending him.
The South Sudanese centre made big plays for the Oilers every time the Blazers attempted to get back in the game and ended up posting a double-double of 22 points and 14 rebounds.
Off the bench came veteran Ben Komakech, who hit three big threes enroute to 15 points, four rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes. Even when the Blazers came within two points in the fourth frame, Oilers found ways to stretch the lead, with Lual and Komakech knocking down crucial threes.
Lual noted that: “We are now like the underdogs. There’s KIU, there’s Namuwongo and UCU. We came knowing that we are shorthanded compared to Namuwongo and we had to play our hearts out.”
With the Blazers main scorers, Joseph Chuma and Jimmy Williams limited to 11 and six points respectively, the Oilers had done half the work. Innocent Ochera’s team-high 16 points and Peter Cheng’s 12 were simply not enough for Stephen Nyeko’s troops to complete the double over Oilers.
A dismal 13-for-28 shooting rhythm did not help matters for the Blazers, who now have a 15-5 record with two games left on their regular season schedule.
City Oilers guard Fayed Baale (R) takes on Nam Blazers' Daniel Gaaki.
Blazers captain Paul Odong said: “We’ll go back, recollect and come back ready to play the next game.”
The defeat left the fight for top spot out of Namuwongo’s hands, with the KIU Titans and Oilers now front runners for the top two slots.
National Basketball League
Results
Women
KCCA 67-81 UCU Lady Canons
K’la University 25-0 UPDF
Men
City Oilers 67-58 Nam Blazers
Livingstone 57-45 UCU Canons
Our Savior 81-77 Power (OT)
KIU Titans 79-68 KCCA
