National Basketball League (NBL) defending champions finally made a statement in regional basketball after defeating Ulinzi on Friday to win the Zone V basketball championship.
After two unsuccessful tries, City Oilers got it right on the third attempt defeating Kenya’s Ulinzi 72-49 in Dar es Salaam,Tanzania.
The Mande Juruni coached side who finished the tournament unbeaten in six games led through all the quarters taking the opening quarter 18-9 before stretching the lead in the second period to 30-21 and have a nine point gap heading into halftime.
The Kenyan side attempted a comeback after recess but City Oilers combined for 42 points to ease past Ulinzi who managed 28 points in the final two sets.
Jimmy Enabu who was voted the tournament’s MVP scored 17 points a game high only shared by teammate Kami Kabange.
City Oilers and Ulinzi will represent Zone V at the FIBA Africa club basketball championship slated for December in Cairo,Egypt.
Uganda’s other representative Uganda Christian University (UCU) Canons finished sixth winning just one point.
In the Lady’s category, last year’s finalists KCCA Leopards succumbed to a heavy 72-27 defeat to KPA to end the tournament 3-3.
UCU Lady Canons also missed out on the chance to play at the Africa club championship after a 53-57 loss to USIU to end the championship in third position.