BAL remains Blazers’ ultimate target
L-R: Nam Blazers’ chairman George Nkya, Ronald Kasolo, the General Manager, Britam Asset Managers, Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo and head coach Stephen Nyeko pause for a picture. PHOTO/EMANZI NDYAMUHAKI
What you need to know:
The BAL is the premier men’s basketball competition in Africa founded in 2019 by the NBA and Fiba. It attracts 12 teams from different countries and only City Oilers has represented Uganda thus far.
Since their arrival on the big stage, the Namuwongo Blazers have made it clear that competing in the Basketball Africa League was a big part of their interests.
In fact, the club pulled out of last season’s National Basketball League playoffs after learning that winning the league would not guarantee them a ticket to the BAL.
And, at the unveiling of Britam Insurance Uganda as the team’s sponsor Wednesday afternoon, Club President George Nkya further emphasized the side’s ambitions.
“I want to tell Britam that this is a growing club, they have made it from those dusty streets of Namuwongo to the league, to the excitement they have brought and we believe we can walk into the BAL with you,” Nkya said in his speech on Wednesday.
The BAL is the premier men’s basketball competition in Africa founded in 2019 by the NBA and Fiba. It attracts 12 teams from different countries and only City Oilers has represented Uganda thus far.
“Our ambitions are set quite high. I said this last year when we were beginning the league that our goal has been BAL and we have chosen our partners very carefully.
“One of the first sponsors that decided to join this journey was Motorola Solutions and it is a global brand and we believe, Britam, with the reach that it has, we are able to move this club to greater heights.”
Daunting task
To qualify for the BAL, the Blazers must start with winning the league, something no other team, apart from City Oilers, has done in the last nine seasons.
The nine-time champions remain the benchmark for the rest of the field and will test the Blazers’ credentials when the two sides collide in what is expected to be an epic clash on Friday at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium.
Andrew Tendo’s Oilers have 5-0 record compared to the Blazers’ 4-1 but those records will be put aside when the game tips off until the final buzzer.
“For us, this is just another league game and we will treat it as such,” Blazers’ head coach Stephen Nyeko told the press ahead of the clash.
Motivated by the latest Shs20m sponsorship, Namuwongo will be looking to set the Oilers ablaze and send a message of intention to dethrone.
