City Oilers stay perfect ahead of most important game

City Oilers made it three wins from as many games to complete Group B action of the Basketball Africa League Qualifiers East Division Elite 16 following a commanding 100-86 victory over Mozambique’s Ferroviario da Beira Thursday evening in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Led by Germaine Roebuck Jr. and Robinson Opong, the Ugandan champions broke away from the Mozambicans in the final quarter to seal the victory and avoid any mathematics regarding who makes the semis from Group B.

Roebuck Jr. shot an incredible 10-for-13 from two-point range to score a game-high 20 points and add 11 rebounds for a double-double while Opong’s four-for-11 rhythm from downtown saw him contribute 155 points and seven rebounds.

Mandy Juruni’s charges had the offence going their way throughout the game, with Parrish Petty (17), Tonny Drileba (13) and Brandon Ssebirumbi (12) all getting into double figures against a Beira side whose life in the group depended on victory.

After a tightly-contested first half, Oilers took a seven-point lead into the final quarter, and Drileba’s early connection from deep stretched that to 10 for the biggest lead.

Beira got back with big shots from William Perry to level scored midway through the frame but Roebuck Jr’s turn-around jumper was followed by a steal and drive to the basket, which ended with a lay up and a foul to hand the Ugandans an 80-76 lead with 4.36 left on the clock and force Beira into a timeout.

There was no coming back as Oilers established daylight between the two sides and saw Juruni hand youngster Allawi Ssenkubuge some seconds on the floor, during which he recorded his first points of the competition.

Not over yet

For City Oilers, the biggest game of the competition will game in the semifinal, with a place in next year’s BAL at stake.

Having had to go through the third-place playoff to qualify for last season, Oilers will be hoping to seal the deal much earlier this time round, by winning their semifinal clash and fighting for glory in the final.

By press time, Group A standings were yet to be aligned but the nine-time champions will face the second team from Group A to fight for a place in the final and in Season Four of BAL. 

Basketball Africa League Qualifiers

Result - East Division Elite 16

Ferroviario 86-100 City Oilers