BAL: City Oilers clutching at straws

Two games into the Basketball Africa League Nile Conference action in Cairo, Egypt, Ugandan representatives City Oilers are already looking shabby and clutching at straws. 

A 99-76 defeat to hosts and defending champions on Friday was followed by a disappointing 101-88 outing against Central African Republic’s Bangui Sporting Club on Saturday to hand Oilers a 0-2 start in the conference. 

Head Coach Karim Nesba was quick to highlight AS Douanes’ journey in last season’s Sahara Conference as an example of the possibility of things improving as the tournament goes on. 

Douanes started last season’s conference in Dakar, Senegal, with a 0-2 run before winning their last three games, including defeating US Monastir, to qualify for the BAL Playoffs and go all the way to the finals. 

But the Oilers' immediate concern cannot be about the playoffs. It has to be about saving face and getting some wins to improve their 1-6 regular season record that stretches to last season.

BAL-elevate player Khaman Maluach recorded his first-ever BAL double-double on Saturday with a game-high 29 points and 12 rebounds in 34 minutes, but the Ugandan champions struggled to get stops and shipped in a century. 

“We have to bounce back and we have to put this behind us. It’s a different game the next game and we have 40 minutes, we have four more games and we'll take one step at a time,” Maluach said after Saturday’s pummelling.

No time to rest

Nesba and his troops have had one day to wipe their tears and get back to business tonight when they face Libya’s Al Ahly Benghazi, who lost 98-86 to the hosts to drop to a 1-1 record. 

The two Al Ahlys have already shown indicators that they will be the teams dictating matters in the conference, with their level some layers above that of both Bangui and the Oilers. 

Imports Dane Miller Jr., Bashir Ahmed, Patrick Rembert and Randy Culpepper Sr. have all yet to impress in the tournament and will have to give Maluach more support for the Oilers to stand a chance against a very talented Benghazi side.

The locally based contingent, meanwhile, has barely got a look-in, with James Okello, Titus Lual and Tonny Drileba all struggling to command minutes.

Fayed Baale, Ivan Muhwezi and Allawi Ssenkubuge have all been spectators thus far. 

To reach the playoffs, the Oilers need to be in the top two to book a direct ticket at the end of the conference or be one of the two best third-placed teams, and it all starts with winning some games.

Basketball Africa League 

City Oilers results 

Al Ahly 99-76 City Oilers 

Al Ahly LY 101-88 City Oilers 

Monday’s fixtures 

City Oilers vs. Al Ahly LY, 6pm

Bangui vs. Al Ahly, 9pm