City Oilers hungry for number nine

When the National Basketball League finals tip off on Friday at YMCA in Wandegeya, City Oilers will be looking to win their ninth straight championship. 

And crazy as it might sound, the eight-time champions are as hungry as they were in 2013 when they won their first piece of silverware. 

Mandy Juruni and his charges go up against a familiar opponent in the shape of KIU Titans, a team they have defeated twice in the regular season and in the finals before. 

The 2-0 regular season will not count for anything at this stage, with the Titans having swept UCU Canons and looking good enough to put up a solid challenge for the defending champions.

“We want to win, play good basketball, compete and enjoy the moment,” Juruni told Daily Monitor ahead of the best of seven series. 

“KIU have earned the right to be in the finals, so definitely they want to win,” he added. 

With the established brigade of Jimmy Enabu, Ben Komakech, Tonny Drileba, Ivan Muhwezi and James Okello, the Oilers have enough experience to ride on at a stage such as this. 

Komakech came up with big plays in the last finals and is a deadly weapon this time of the year. Enabu limped through last season’s finals with injury, but that did not stop the boat from successfully docking.  

Hunger

The hunger in the Oilers squad comes from players still fighting for their space at the top and those without rings to show.

Fayed Baale and Titus Lual are the two most significant pieces Oilers added, and the two are hungry for success, having failed to win with UCU Canons in the 2019 finals. 

The pair has been City Oilers’ driving force this season, with Lual adding length and rebounding prowess while Baale’s improved three-point shooting to go with his incredible playmaking making Oilers a menace of a team to face. 

Ruai Luak and Mer Maker are the other crucial pieces Juruni has the luxury of calling upon. 

Respect Titans 

Good as the Oilers might be, KIU cannot be summarily dismissed and will look to put up a fight.

Boosted by the arrival of Saidi Amisi, Peter Obleng, and Collins Kasujja from Namuwongo Blazers, the Kansanga outfit has a roster that looks good enough to go punch for punch with the champions. 

Amisi’s inside presence has troubled every opponent, and KIU’s success will significantly hinge on the kind of series the Congolese has. 

Add to that the perimeter threat possessed by Denis Balungu, Innocent Ochera and Isaiah Ater and the Titans have reason to believe going into the finals. 

“They had a good series against UCU, so they feel good about themselves,” Juruni, who has won the last nine championships as head coach, said. 

“Many of them have been at this stage before, so they know what it takes. They have not been successful because we stopped them, and I am sure they will want to amend that and do better.” 

Titans head coach Julius Lutwama will be coaching at this level for the first time, but he has every reason to believe. 

National Basketball League Finals

Playing Friday (YMCA)

Women: JKL vs. KIU Rangers -7pm

Men: City Oilers vs. KIU Titans -9pm