City Oilers 74-68 UCU Canons (OT)
For the third time this season, UCU Canons gave a close game away.
The first round game against the three times winners, the second round tie with five time champions Power and Friday’s game were practically handed to the opponents in the final bend of the 4th quarter.
Jonathan Egau could have won it for the university side but missed an open lay up with only 24 seconds left on the clock in regulation time.
The small forward got a second chance and still missed before he was fouled to go to the charity line from where he missed both free throws with just 14 seconds on the clock. Oilers then got the chance to win it.
Head coach Mandy Juruni called for a timeout but UCU, not in foul trouble, fouled for a side at 6 seconds and went on to defend their hoop for the last 6 seconds to force overtime.
The Mukono side still had their noses ahead early in the extra 5 minutes as Tanzanian forward Fadhil Chuma and Brian Namake took charge of the offensive clinic.
Enter Ben Komakech and the problem is solved! The sophisticated guard, often silent throughout the game, brought the best of himself to the floor.
He started with a contested 3-pointer to level the game at 63-63 before getting a steal off Egau to pass to Kami Kabange for Oilers to take the lead with under 1 minute.
The defending champions went on to win their 19th of the season and finish the regular season with a 19-3 record and top of the 12-team log heading into the playoffs.
The two sides had played out an evenly matched contest with the Zone V Champions struggling to establish their superiority against Nick Natuhereza’s side.
“We got the win and that’s what really matters,” Oilers captain Jimmy Enabu told Kawowo Sports at the end of the game.
For Egau, competing the way UCU did against the best team in the league gives the side optimism and belief as they head into the playoffs to face Pemba Warriors in the quarterfinals.
“We competed well and despite the result we are impressed with our performance,” he told this website.
Chuma and Kabange scored 22 apiece to lead the scoring charts for UCU and Oilers respectively. The two also had 16 and 14 rebounds respectively.
Enabu and Komakech added 16 and 14 respectively for Oilers while Namake and Steve Wundi had 13 and 12 in the Canons’ futile effort.
UCU play Sharing Youths in their last game of the regular season Sunday night.