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Nam Blazers believe it’s their championship to lose
Even in defeat, Paul Odong (R) remains confident. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Arthur Wanyoto’s double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds helped the Blazers return to winning ways on Sunday. Peter Cheng also posted 16 points and 12 rebounds while Blair Wadaya added 14 points.
Despite losing 67-58 to defending champions City Oilers last week, Namuwongo Blazers believe the National Basketball League championship is theirs to lose this season.
After Friday’s defeat, the Blazers responded with an 81-76 win over JKL on Sunday to improve their record to 16-5 with one game left on their regular season schedule.
Still top of the log, having played more games than the chasing duo of City Oilers and KIU Titans, the Blazers look likely to finish third in the end. Oilers and KIU have lost one and three games, respectively and can both leapfrog Blazers by getting results in their last games.
But even with all that at play, Blazers’ captain Paul Odong is confident the team are frontrunners for the championship.
“This is actually our championship to lose,” Odong told the press after Friday’s loss.
“It’s up to us to really take it. No one is going to give it to us on a silver plate, we have to come out and take it,” he added.
Arthur Wanyoto’s double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds helped the Blazers return to winning ways on Sunday. Peter Cheng also posted 16 points and 12 rebounds while Blair Wadaya added 14 points.
The Blazers will face Kampala Rockets on Saturday to conclude their regular season business.
With City Oilers losing the trio of Jimmy Enabu, James Okello and Tonny Drileba mid-season, rival teams believe this could be the season to pounce and claim the championship that has gone in one direction the last nine seasons.
But if Friday’s clash was supposed to write off the Oilers from the list of contenders, it only emphasized the big job the rest of the field will have to do to stop them from landing their tenth in a row.
Oilers tore apart the Blazers’ zone defence with Titus Lual and Ben Komakech launching from distance to keep their side in control.
On a night both Fayed Baale and Ivan Muhwezi struggled to get going offensively, Mer Maker stepped up to score 22 and pick 14 rebounds.
The Oilers have since gone on to beat Kampala Rockets 78-55 to improve their record to 17-1 and are on course in their fight to finish as the number one seed.
KIU Titans, who lost 4-1 to Oilers in the finals last season, are the other side projected to challenge for the championship.
National Basketball League
Playing Wednesday -Lugogo
Women
UCU L. Canons vs. Magic Stormers, 7pm
Men
Our Savior vs. KCCA, 9pm
