Kami U-turn makes Oilers ‘even better’
Kami will don the City Oilers jersey again this season. Photo by Ismail Kezaala
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They are surely a better team with him around as they seek to compete well at the Zone V Club Championships later this year in Kenya.
KAMPALA- How will City Oilers cope without Kami Kabange? That has been one of the most familiar questions amongst basketball folklore for the past three months.
This followed a confirmation from the club in February that the finals’ Most Valuable Player (MVP) was to leave for Qatar. Now, that deal has since fallen through.
Why? “The documentation has failed us,” Oilers’ team manager Silver Rugambwa said yesterday. “But when another chance comes, he will be allowed to leave.”
Though Congolese-born, the centre plays for Rwanda and it seems this is where all the confusion about his eligibility for Qatari-visa stems from.
“It just didn’t work out. I will stay and contribute to the team again,” Kabange, who averaged 18.4 points and 10.5 rebounds in the seven-game 4-3 final series victory over Falcons, said.
His coach Mandy Juruni, who declared two months ago, that the team was moving on with Samuel Kalwanyi, Andrew Opio and James Okello to star on the inside, has opened his arms again.
After that memorable December triumph which came in Oilers’ debut season in the Airtel National Basketball League, he has continued to train with his team.
In addition, arguably the most dominant inside player in the Zone V region, has played in trial games against the national team, TeamUG, and featured in the UCU Open for Oilers.
They are surely a better team with him around as they seek to compete well at the Zone V Club Championships later this year in Kenya.
“We have depth this year. We have good guards who can hurt you offensively. We are even better” Juruni added.
The club had moved to split the scoring burden borne by Kabange last season by signing guard Ben Komakech (Tiger Head Power) and guard/forward Geoff Omondi (Falcons).
Rugambwa had even gone ahead to make a declaration that; “The scoring will be shared between Jimmy Enabu, Komakech, Omondi, Kalwanyi, Opio and everyone else.”
With Kabange still here, the numbers could even become obscene.
