Oilers, UCU fight Zone V ‘fatigue’ for final flourish
City Oilers’ Jeff Omondi and Fadhili Chuma of UCU vie for the ball during the Fuba League game at YMCA Wandegeya in June. Photo by Ismail Kezaala
What you need to know:
Oilers speak of having learnt their lesson ahead of their clash with fellow Ugandan Zone V representatives UCU Canons at the Lugogo MTN Arena today
KAMPALA
Besides divided focus, Fiba Africa Zone V Club Champions City Oilers blamed fatigue for their National Basketball League slump prior to travelling to Tanzania.
“For a month, we trained so hard for the Zone V and that affected us a lot,” Zone V Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jimmy Enabu told Daily Monitor upon the team’s return this week.
Oilers, then doing daily double sessions, lost three in four games in the month leading up to the Zone V. Their energy levels seemed to drop dramatically in the second half of games.
The 72-60 loss to Tiger Head Power last month underlined it. Pemba Warriors then served them another cold defeat in a 72-68 result despite Oilers putting up some late defiance.
Oilers speak of having learnt their lesson ahead of their clash with fellow Ugandan Zone V representatives UCU Canons at the Lugogo MTN Arena today.
“I think now we can manage it (the fatigue) better.” Enabu said. “The problem has been the third quarter but we now know it and can sort it out,” teammate Geoff Omondi added.
While Oilers were away, KIU Titans grew their amazing winning streak to 19 games to usurp the three-time defending league champions as the league’s top seed ahead of the playoffs.
Beating UCU, who have endured a 48-hour bus journey to and from the Tanzanian coast over the past fortnight, will ensure that Oilers finish 19-3.
KIU have the same record but a better head-to-head tips the scale in favour of Oilers. UCU missed the trick in the first round, losing the reverse encounter 73-72.
The champions withstood Jonathan Egau’s game high 20 points, Fadhil Chuma’s 19 and Brian Namake (13pts and 3 rebounds). You expect more of the same from Nicholas Natuhereza’s side.
Ndejje University Angels’ shock 69-67 defeat of Power on Wednesday has opened an unlikely window for fifth-placed UCU to finish as high as third ahead of next week’s playoffs.
Tuesday’s 73-63 win over Charging Rhino pushed UCU to 14-6 with Power at 16-5 in the 22-game regular season. “We learnt some lessons from the Zone V,” Natuhereza said.
Mending fences with Namake will help Natuhereza a great deal in the final two games.
NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE
PLAYING TODAY AT LUGOGO
MEN: Oilers vs UCU, 8pm
UPDF vs Rhino, 6pm
WEDNESDAY RESULTS
M: Power 67-69 Ndejje
W: UCU 58-54 KCCA
