Komakech, Enabu roll back the years

Enabu is one of three stars synonymous with Oilers but now donning the red of Blazers as they bid dethrone their former paymasters. Tonny Drileba and James Okello are the other two.

Having been teammates in Power before eventually crossing to Oilers, Komakech and Enabu know and respect each other so much.

But Friday night was about Komakech ensuring his side did not go down without a fight and Enabu sending a message that the Blazers mean business this season.

There were isolated battles within the game, especially in the third quarter and down the stretch in the fourth, where the two stars made big plays to keep their teams going.

Twice, Komakech was called for a foul and a basket against the athletic Enabu but also hit four threes as the short-handed 10-time champions asked tough questions.

“We dominated on the rebounds, every time they caught up we made a shot or made a good play,” Komakech said after the game.

The Blazers landed the final punch, with another new signing, Moses Mugisha making one of his two free throws to separate the two sides and hand Stephen Nyeko’s charges a hard-fought 81-80 victory.  

Komakech, with a six-for-11 rhythm from the field, scored 18 points, recorded six rebounds and four assists on the night.

Enabu, meanwhile, led the Blazers with a team-high 21 points.

“We definitely have a lot to work on. If we thought that we had figured out things, I think this game showed us that we have a lot of work to do,” Enabu revealed after the game.

Oilers were playing without the services of team captain Ivan Muhwezi, who has reportedly gone AWOL.

The combo guard is said to have absconded from training and failed to turn up for a team meeting earlier in the week.

Fayed Baale and Titus Lual also watched the game from the bench as they continue to nurse injuries.

Andrew Tendo relied on just nine players on the night, handing players like Edgar Munaba and Bolton Rujumba their Oilers debuts.

Munaba, signed from KIU Titans, went on to record a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds.

The defending champions led 17-10 at the end of the opening quarter, and held on for a five-point lead (34-29) going into the halftime break.

Blazers made life hard for the Oilers with a full court press and man-to-man defence.

Allawi Ssenkubuge’s block denied Innocent Ochera at the buzzer as Oilers took a slim one-point lead (55-54) into the last frame.

The already short-handed Oilers also had Joseph Chuma fouling out with eight minutes left on the clock in the final quarter.

Mugisha’s free throw, with just over a second to go, turned out to be the difference in the end, sending Blazers’ fans into wild celebrations as the season started on a positive note.

In the women’s category, JT Lady Jaguars secured a hard-fought 75-71 victory against defending champions JKL Lady Dolphins to get the season up and running.

Led by new signing Shakira Nanvubya, who scored 18 points, Sandra Wangeshi (12 points) and Sarah Ageno (10 points), Sudi Ulanga’s charges sent a clear message to the three-time champions.

National Basketball League

Results

Women

JKL 71-75 JT L. Jaguars

Men

City Oilers 80-81 Nam Blazers