City Oilers face playoff elimination

National Basketball League

Wednesday 16th 

Women

Magic stommers 51 Miracle Eaglets 62

Lady Tomahawk  85 Mumbai Marines 68

Men

Livingstone 53 Kampala Rockets 75

City Oilers 52 Victoria Crocs 68

Friday 18th (Lugogo Indoor Arena)

Rezlife Saints v KCCA Panthers 7pm

City Oilers v Namuwongo Blazers 9pm

Ten-time National Basketball League champions City Oilers are staring at the unthinkable missing out on the playoffs for the first time in the club’s history.

The Oilers suffered a shocking 65-52 defeat to Victoria University Crocs on Wednesday night at YMCA Court in Wandegeya, their second straight loss after falling 65-50 to JT Jaguars.

Coming into the game, the Oilers knew that a win would have confirmed their place in the top eight and guaranteed a playoff slot. Instead, they collapsed in the second half, allowing the Crocs to dominate and seal a deserved victory.

The game started evenly. Fayed Baale hit two three-pointers, and both sides ended the first quarter tied 14-14. The Oilers looked stronger in the second quarter and took a slim 32-29 lead into halftime, thanks to a late layup by Rogers Dauna.

However, Victoria Crocs came back from the break more energized. They tightened their defence and punished the Oilers on the fast break. Their efforts paid off with an 11-point swing that turned the game on its head. A late three-pointer by Joseph Chuma sealed the deal as Oilers trailed by 13 points at the final whistle.

Chuol Nyuot was the star of the night for the Crocs, dropping 25 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in a powerful double-double performance. Cedric Alema also stepped up with 16 points. For the struggling Oilers, Edgar Munaba (12 points) and Fayed Baale (10 points) were the only players to reach double figures.

This loss leaves City Oilers with an 11-10 record, sitting dangerously close to the playoff cut-off line. Their fate is no longer entirely in their hands. If Victoria Crocs (10-10),JT Jaguars (11-8) and Rezlife Saints (9-10) win all their remaining games and Oilers lose their final two, the defending champions will miss the playoffs.

The pressure now shifts to Friday, July 18, when the Oilers face off against rivals Namuwongo Blazers at Lugogo Indoor Arena. The Blazers already defeated Oilers 81-80 in a dramatic first-round clash decided in the final second, and they will be more than eager to do it again.

This time, the Blazers will have an added boost with former Oilers captain Ivan Muhwezi in their ranks. He’ll join a strong lineup that includes experienced players like Jimmy Enabu, Peter Obleng, Innocent Ochera, and Moses Mugisha—players more than capable of damaging Oilers’ fragile hopes.
After the Blazers, the Oilers close their regular season campaign against the JKL Dolphins, another side that already beat them 64-62 in overtime earlier this season. That loss was Oilers’ fourth in just six games and signaled the team’s ongoing struggles in what has been their most difficult season yet.

NBL table 

Nam Blazers 18-3 (39 points)
UCU Canons 13-9 (35 points)
Kampala Rockets 13-9 (34 points )
KCCA Panthers 12-8 (33 points)
Sommet 13-7 (33 points)
City Oilers 11-9 (31 points)
Victoria Crocs 10-10 (30 points)
JT Jaguars 11-8 (30 points)
JKL Dolphins 8-12 (28 points)
Rezlife Saints 9-10 (28 points)
KIU Titans 2-18 (22 points)
Livingstone 1-18 ( 20 points)