Bumper 72 hours await City Oilers

Experience. Kami was kept quiet in the game against G.S.P. and will have to fashion a means of making his famed mid-range jumper function later today. PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA

What you need to know:

  • Zone V and Uganda’s Fiba Africa Club Champions’ Cup representatives City Oilers have embraced the weather pattern already.
  • In 2015, Egypt’s Gezira beat them 75-73 in the regional Zone V final before finishing fifth at the Champions’ Cup.
  • Over the next three days, mistakes must be at a minimum and Ben Komakech has to regain his shooting mojo.

Kampala. Sunset at the tip of Africa’s starts at around 5pm. It would be weird for any Ugandan to see the sun disappear while many leave work.
Also, the sun isn’t hot at all as warm clothing is the norm with an unrelenting cold breeze blowing across the Egyptian capital Cairo.
Zone V and Uganda’s Fiba Africa Club Champions’ Cup representatives City Oilers have embraced the weather pattern already.
They have also lost their group B tournament opener, coming up narrowly short against Algeria’s G.S.P 77-69 on Wednesday.
While the autopsy has been deep over the two rest days, the next phase is the most important after their 10-day camp in Alexandria, over two hours from Cairo.

Oilers play three games in three days at the King Abdallah Faisal Arena, Al Ahly Club gymnasium starting with a tie against Morocco’s AS Sales today from 4.45pm, spreading around sunset.
It feels like the tournament is only starting as they target to get into top eight. “Everyone has to recover quickly,” Stanley Ociti advised. He had 24 points and 12 rebounds against G.S.P with Jimmy Enabu adding 17 for the three-time defending Uganda league champions.

That recovery, for coach Mandy Juruni, should even be better on transitional defence where they were lacking against G.S.P.
There is Cameroon’s BEAC on tomorrow and Angola’s RCD Libolo to come on Monday after AS Sales. Oilers need at least one victory to stand a chance of making it to the top eight and that’s not too far.
In 2015, Egypt’s Gezira beat them 75-73 in the regional Zone V final before finishing fifth at the Champions’ Cup. Over the next three days, mistakes must be at a minimum and Ben Komakech has to regain his shooting mojo.