Oilers off for African championship

FUBA president Ambrose Tashobya has urged the City Oilers to go as far as they can at the continental FIBA Africa Championship due in Egypt, December 7-17.

Tashobya was speaking to the Mandy Juruni-led twelve-man team before they took an early flight to Cairo to acclimatize, ahead of the annual championship that has attracted 12 of Africa's best basketball playing nations.

"I'm extremely delighted to see the City Oilers make a journey that has been made by a few clubs in the history of Ugandan basketball. As champions of Zone 5 they don't go to represent Uganda but the zone as well which is a huge honour," Tashobya noted.

"You rightfully belong there because you have worked hard to be there, so when the championship starts don't undermine yourselves, but push yourselves to the best that you can be; semi-finals of finals will be a good statement that you are among the best," Tashobya advised.

"I'm happy that you're even going early to do more preparations, so make it worth the investment and you must work very hard, and we take pride in you that you're representing us at that level and we give you all the blessings as a country,"

Despite being wary of Angola and Egyptian teams and being their first time at this stage coach Mande Juruni said the team was determined to go as far as they can.

"We don't have a specific target as we speak but we shall take each game at a time and are ready to compete. We have prepared for the past two months and we have watched some of their videos and we ready to take them on," Juruni stated.

"We have our own brand of basketball and since we are unknown, we shall use that to our advantage as we are strong in all departments, and we hope our fast game can help us prevail," Juruni said.

General manager Mohammed Santur said the morale was high among the players and the company had done all it takes to ensure the players travel and are comfortable.

KCCA Leopards and the Warriors have been at this stage before, in Angola and Rwanda but went on a wild card.