NBL Finals: UCU Canons Beat Oilers To Revive Title Chances

Wednesday, January 15
*UCU Canons 54-52 City Oilers – Overtime
(Game 5, Oilers lead 3-2)

UCU Canons revived their slim chances of winning their maiden league championship with a 54-52 NBL Finals game five overtime win at Lugogo.

Game into game five, Oilers needed nothing but victory to take a record seventh title but Canons were not going down without a fight.

UCU rallied to a 16-13 lead after the first quarter but Oilers levelled the tie 20-20 at halftime after a low scoring second quarter.

It was a fair exchange thereafter and it remained close even when Jimmy Enabu hit a late jumper to tie the game 42-42 to necessitate overtime.

Despite a positive start in overtime that saw Oilers take a four-point lead after quick twos from Tonny Drilleba and James Okello, a deep three-pointer from Fayed Baale pulled UCU back into the contest and the set the tone as the University side went on to seal a laboured 54-52 win.

David Deng Kongor led the way with 20 points, 15 rebounds and two assists. Fadhil Chuma also contributed a double double of 13 points and 11 rebounds while Baale (11 points) and Titus Lual (9 points, 16 rebounds) also played a pivotal role for UCU.

Landry Ndikumana scored a team high 16 points for Oilers, with James Okello and Jimmy Enabu adding 12 and 11 points in a losing effort.

UCU had Joas Maheta play only eight minutes before he was taken off but the side managed to wither through the storm despite 20-of-77 from the field just like Oilers.

UCU missed 16 of 18 shots from three-point range but out rebounded Oilers 68-54 in a game they picked just one point off the bench.

Both Dirlleba and Enabu shot 4-of-14 from the field while Okello was 4-of-15 in a night the Oilers will want to forget easily and quickly ahead of Friday’s game six.