NBL: Nam Blazers condemn City Oilers to first defeat

• Namuwongo Blazers 60-54 City Oilers

Namuwongo Blazers put to an end City Oilers’ unbeaten run in the ongoing 2023/24 National Basketball League season after a 60-54 win at the MTN Indoor Arena, Lugogo on Friday night.

To get the mission accomplished, Nam Blazers started brightly from the start and capitalized on the cheerful crowd to pull off a one-point lead (18-17) at the end of the first quarter.

They however, switched off in the second period after City Oilers made an 8-0 run before Innocent Ochera restored parity in the Blazers camp with one from downtown.

However, dictators City Oilers were the dominant side at halftime, having restricted Namuwongo Blazers to only 10 points, giving them homework to do in the recess period.

In the third, key player Joseph Chuma committed a fourth foul and had to be withdrawn from the game with seven minutes from the clock, as Nam Blazers suffered a huge blow, before trailing by six points in the penultimate round.

In the fourth and final quarter, Micheal Makiadi combined well with Paul Odongo to level the game (42 points) with two back-to-back shots from deep.

The defining moment came in the final 49 seconds when Peter Cheng scored a three-pointer to open a six-point lead that was guarded upto the final whistle of the game.

Namuwongo’s Chuma scored a game-high 18 points and had eight rebounds, while Paul Odong and Cheng scored 12 points each.

For giants City Oilers, Titus Lual (13 ) and Mer Maker (11) scored in double figures, as the side matched from the basketball court on the loosing note.

Joseph Chuma was voted the player of the game.