Oilers survive Amisi assault to leave Warriors on the brink

What A Shift. Warriors’ Amisi (R) showed potential with a display worth 26 points despite going down to Oilers. PHOTO: ISMAIL KEZAALA

City Oilers’ quest for a record seventh straight National Basketball League title has been affected by injuries.

The situation has left them with Landry Ndikumana and James Okello as their only front court options.

On Wednesday, Warriors forward Saidi Amisi used that to his advantage scoring a game-high 26 points and picking 10 rebounds on a night he went 11 for 16 from the field.

Despite his dominance however it is the Oilers that still managed to leave the Lugogo Indoor Arena the happier of the two teams after recording a 67-60 victory.

Desired goal
The result left them needing just one win from the remaining two games of the series to reach a seventh successive playoff final.

That could be achieved as early this evening when the two teams meet at Lugogo in what is Game Four of the best of five playoff semifinal series.

They will need James Okello at his best again with the power forward managing 19 points and 11 rebounds. Tony Drileba added 17 points and Ben Komakech chipped in with 11 for Oilers who pulled away in the final two minutes to gain advantage of the series.

The UCU Lady Canons are in a similar position having also taken a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five series against long term rivals KCCA Leopards.

This followed the 77-71 game three win on Wednesday that had Rose Akon and KCCA’s Martha Soigi scoring 25 points each.

It was the former that emerged victorious with Zainah Lokwameri and Brenda Kayaga adding 16 and 11 points in a strong fourth quarter performance that they clinched 28-18.