The City Oilers are staring down the barrel of a shocking early exit, with just two games left in the National Basketball League (NBL) regular season.
It’s a reality that would have been unthinkable at the start of the campaign for Uganda’s most successful basketball club 10-time champions, no less. But now, they’re hanging onto playoff hopes by a thread.
Their next hurdle? The Namuwongo Blazers, who are more than eager to hasten the Oilers’ downfall. The two sides clash today at Lugogo, and if the Oilers fall again, their path to the postseason becomes a tightrope walk.
A loss to the Blazers would leave Andrew Tendo’s side needing a must-win result against the JKL Dolphins in their final fixture. On paper, JKL is already out of playoff contention but given the Oilers’ erratic form this season, that game is far from a guaranteed win.
Earlier this week, their vulnerabilities were brutally exposed in a dismal 65-52 defeat to the Victoria Crocs. In what might have been their flattest showing all year, the Oilers managed just seven points in the third quarter and never looked competitive. Chuol Nyuot was immense for Victoria, racking up 25 points and 15 rebounds to power his side to a statement win.
With that result, Victoria are now breathing down the Oilers’ necks in the standings and have favorable fixtures remaining both against already relegated sides. Two wins could push Victoria past the Oilers if the latter slip up even once.
To make matters worse, Rez Life still in contention could leapfrog both if they win their remaining three games.
Suddenly, the once-invincible Oilers are in unfamiliar territory: on the verge of missing the playoffs altogether. And unless something changes fast, their season could be over much sooner than expected.
