- City Oilers 71-59 COSPN
City Oilers are off to a winning start in Division East of the Elite 16. The Ugandan champions beat COSPN of Madagascar, 71-59, at Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg South Africa.
It was a scrappy game to start with both sides missing in the open court but City Oilers settled into the game quicker with Jimmy Enabu (9 points) attacking the basket.
Oilers led 22-11 at the end of the opening quarter and carried the same momentum into the second opening a 21-point lead with transition basketball and a suffocating defense and seemed to be in cruise and control at halftime.
However, Mandy Juruni’s charges took their foot off the pedal in the third quarter and COSPN took full advantage playing with high energy, punishing every turnover, and cutting the lead to 6 late in the quarter.
COSPN’s defensive pressure in the third quarter forced 7 turnovers piling up fast break points. Oilers had committed just three turnovers prior to the 3rd quarter.
Unlike the three quarters when the game was played at a high tempo, both teams slowed the game down in the fourth quarter.
Germaine roebuck finished with a game-high 17 points and 7 rebounds to lead City Oilers, Falando Jones had 15 and Titus Odeke chipped in with 11 points off the bench. Ngor Barnaba pulled down game-high 10 rebounds to go with 4 points.
Elly Randriamampionona scored team-high 14 points and Alpha Solondrainy added 10 points in a losing effort.
Next Up
City Oilers take on Matero Magic tomorrow at 5:30pm (EAT) while COSPN will face Ferroviario Beira in the first game of the day at 12:30pm.