The City Oilers’ dominance in Ugandan basketball remains intact, but only just. The 10-time National Basketball League champions were pushed to the brink on Thursday night before scraping past JT Jaguars 67-65 to secure a semifinal berth.
The defending champions completed a 2-0 series sweep, yet their passage was anything but straightforward. For the second game running, the Oilers found themselves chasing shadows in the first half, heading into the break 31-37 down. It took grit, rebounding power, and timely plays to avoid a winner-takes-all game three.
Kurt Curry Wegscheider’s 20 points proved decisive, supported by Moses Maker’s 14 and Fayed Bbale’s 11. But in truth, it was the Oilers’ ability to outmuscle the Jaguars on the glass—52 rebounds to 50—that made the difference on a night when their perimeter shooting deserted them (a woeful 5-of-27 from deep).
The Jaguars, playing without key man Fadhil Chuma, still threatened an upset. Ian Lubwama dropped 14 points while George Agassi added 10, and their relentless energy ensured the Oilers never had breathing room.
Despite the defeat, Jaguars can take pride in their campaign, having finished second in the regular season and proving that the league’s old guard is not untouchable.
The Oilers, though, remain alive in their quest for an 11th crown. Their labored escape sets up a semifinal clash against Sommet in a best-of-five series—one where they can ill afford another shaky start.
