2026 National Basketball League | Men | Friday May 22
- Namuwongo Blazers 76-50 City Oilers
Namuwongo Blazers answered their recent setback in emphatic fashion, decimating rivals City Oilers 76-50 in the National Basketball League at Lugogo Indoor Arena on Friday night.
Coming off a painful 73-71 defeat to RezLife Saints, the Blazers looked determined from the opening whistle and never allowed the Oilers any real control of the game.
The Oilers won the tip-off, but the opening minutes were untidy. Edgar Munaba missed the first basket before Joel Kayiira finally got the night’s first points. Munaba added a lay-up moments later as James Okello replied for the Blazers.
The game quickly picked up intensity. Returning from injury, Laundry Ndikumana briefly pushed the Oilers into a 7-6 lead, but Tonny Drilleba’s three-pointer lifted the crowd and swung momentum back to the Blazers.
Peter Obleng followed with a powerful dunk to make it 16-10 before Benjamin Kawumi reduced the gap to 16-14 at the end of the first quarter.
The Blazers took charge in the second period. Titus Lual Odeke opened the quarter with a dunk for the Oilers before Ivan Muhwezi extended the lead to 19-16.
Lual kept the Oilers close at 21-20, but the Blazers responded immediately through Drilleba and Arthur Wanyoto to stretch the advantage to 27-20.
Fayed Baale knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to keep the Oilers alive, but the Blazers remained sharper on both ends of the court.
Okello attacked the rim confidently while Fataki Nyembo added key points as the Namuwongo side carried a 36-30 lead into halftime.
After the break, the Blazers buried the game, Wanyoto opened the third quarter with a basket before Drilleba hit another three-pointer for a 41-30 lead. Nyembo added one from range too as the gap quickly grew to 15 points.
The Oilers tried to respond through Munaba and Baale, but the Blazers kept punishing them in transition. Wanyoto and Jimmy Enabu continued the assault as the third quarter ended 54-40.
The final period turned one sided, Tembo Kasereka and Anthony pushed the lead to 62-42 before Enabu drained another three-pointer to silence the Oilers fans.
Nyembo added more points while Okello produced a brilliant turning finish as the Blazers cruised toward victory.
By the closing minutes, Blazers fans were chanting for 100 points as the Oilers struggled badly on offense.
The game eventually ended 76-50 in favour of the Blazers, who delivered one of their strongest performances this season.
Nyembo and Wanyoto scored 12 points each while Drilleba added 10 just like Okello. Baale was the only Oilers player to finish in double figures with 11 points.
After the game, Okello credited the team’s defensive effort.
“We just had to come and play strong and show we are good players. We played good defense which is our identity now. Our target is also to keep teams below 15 points in each quarter,” he said.
This was Oilers second defeat of the campaign and their first loss to Blazers this season as the League nears its playoffs.
Earlier, the JT Lady Jaguars defeated the JKL Lady Dolphins 93-62 in the women’s game.
