2026 National Basketball League | Men | Friday May 8
- City Oilers 87-80 UCU Canons
What a game it was at YMCA Court in Wandegeya.
City Oilers needed two overtime periods to finally overcome UCU Canons 87-80 in a captivating National Basketball League duel on Friday night.
Before tip-off between City Oilers and UCU Canons at YMCA Court, attention briefly shifted off the game and onto a special moment for Monica Nassuna.
Nassuna was warmly welcomed back from injury in a simple but emotional ceremony, with referees and officials cutting cake in her honour as her name was sung under the Wandegeya colds.
She is widely recognised as Uganda’s first international female referee and one of the country’s leading officiating figures.
Her experience spans major assignments under FIBA, including AfroBasket Women finals, U16 championships, Basketball Africa League (BAL) games, and youth World Cups at U19 and U18 level.
Onto the game, after a tense contest that ended 63-63 in regulation time and 75-75 after the first overtime, the Oilers finally pulled away in the second extra period, outscoring UCU 12-5 to seal victory.
For much of the game, however, it looked like the Canons would pull off a major upset.
UCU came out firing, racing into a 14-0 lead in the opening quarter and forcing the Oilers to chase the game for most of the night.
The Canons played with energy and belief, while the Oilers struggled to find rhythm, especially from three point range where they missed 24 of their 29 attempts.
But just when defeat seemed certain, Fayed Bbaale stepped up. With seconds left in regulation, he calmly converted all three free throws to tie the game and force overtime.
The drama continued in the first overtime when Jimmy Otim answered with three pressure free throws of his own at the buzzer to keep UCU alive at 75-75.
By the second overtime, though, the Canons had run out of energy against an Oilers side that found another gear when it mattered most.
Titus Lual led the Oilers with a dominant double-double of 27 points and 17 rebounds, while Joel Kayiira added 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Bbaale finished with 18 points and Malual Dier scored 16.
The Oilers earned the win despite missing Jonathan Komagum, Landry Ndikumana, Joel Lukoji, Isaac Athuai and Rogers Dauna through injury.
Otim was outstanding for UCU with a game-high 31 points, while Zachariah Ekirapa added 13. No other Canons player reached double figures.
The Oilers also edged the rebounding contest 58-55, which proved decisive in the closing moments.
Earlier in the women’s game, JT Lady Jaguars defeated KCCA Leopards 61-47.
