Lual, Baale hunger lands City Oilers ninth NBL title

Titus Lual and Fayed Baale proved to be the best signings by helping City Oilers win a ninth straight National Basketball League following Wednesday night’s 78-63 triumph over KIU Titans at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium.

With the victory, Oilers closed the series 4-2 to silence the largely partisan crowd that has had to bear the burden of booing the champions the last nine seasons. 

Integral in whatever the Oilers have done this season has been the duo that joined from UCU Canons last season. 

Lual scored 14 points and added eight rebounds, while Baale got 18 points, two rebounds, and three assists as the pair won their first ring in Ugandan basketball. 

“Their contribution has been huge for us,” City Oilers head coach Mandy Juruni told Daily Monitor after hoisting his 10th straight league title. 

“They integrated well with the boys. It was quite easy because they had both played with us before the league started,” he added.

The two players were part of Oilers’ Basketball Africa League before officially joining from UCU Canons. 

“They got to understand our demands from them and how we wanted them to play and develop, and they have done a good job of understanding our philosophy.” 

Lual averaged a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds to be named MVP. 

Composure 

Juruni credited the team’s composure under pressure to close the series and avoid a Game Seven.

The Titans, backed by a fully packed arena, got off to a flying start, with Peter Obleng providing offence for a quick 8-4 lead before the champions withered the storm to trail by a single point (13-12) at the end of the first quarter. 

City Oilers got into rhythm to take the second quarter 21-12 to lead by eight points (33-25) going into the halftime break.

Baale connected from three-point range to start the third frame, and there was no coming back for Julius Lutwama’s charges.

“We executed our offence well, made some big shots behind the arc, which opened them up,” Juruni noted.

“We were not shooting the ball well in the other games, especially those in Lugogo.”

The Oilers shot 10-for-34 from downtown on the night and added 30 points inside the paint to emphasize their dominance all over the floor. 

Jimmy Enabu scored a game-high 19 points and picked eight rebounds to lead Oilers to yet another championship.

Obleng and Collins Kasujja led KIU with 15 and 14 points, respectively, while Saidi Amisi was limited to just three points and spent the more significant part of the game on the bench. 

National Basketball League Finals 

Wednesday result

KIU Titans 63-78 City Oilers (2-4)

Best rebounder: Joseph Kumbayi

Best Defensive Player: Titus Lual

Top scorer: Saidi Amisi

MVP: Titus Lual 

Best Five: Joel Lukoji, Ruai Luak, Tonny Drileba, Titus Lual, Saidi Amisi