National Basketball League

Results

Women

KIU 63 Nabisunsa 35

Men

Oilers 80 UCU 56

KIU 82 JKL 62

Livingstone 65 Power 58

James Okello drained 4-of-6 from three-point range on the way to a game-high 21 points as the City Oilers rolled past the UCU Canons 80-65 to secure their 10 win of the 2024 National Basketball League (NBL) season yesterday at the YMCA.

Okello, who added 11 rebounds and five assists, led four Oilers in double figures in a performance that underlined his on-going offensive transformation. Okello has always been a gritty player, combining his physical strength and tireless will to overpower NBL opponents.

But continental club competitions like the Basketball Africa League and international tournaments like the Afrobasket call for the ability to knock down shots, and particularly from downtown. Okello is making the adjustment, and performances like this one, in which he scored more three pointers than everyone except Tony Drileba, who equally shot 4-for-6, can only encourage the transformation.

Drileba finished with 14 points, while former Canons Titus Lual and Rogers Dauna added 11 and 10 points respectively.

The Canons were coming off a win over the Namuwongo Blazers and trailed 35-31 at halftime, but the Oilers engaged another gear after intermission and Nick Natuhereza’s side were overpowered.

Joel Kayira and Peter Sifuma nailed 11 points apiece, with the former adding 10 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Edgar Munaba grabbed a game-high 26 points and 16 rebounds to lead KIU to an 82-62 victory over the JKL Dolphins. Mpiya Juf and Ahmed Kassa netted 16 and 14 points respectively for the Titans, who trailed by three at halftime before their class took over in the second half. JKL were led by Clement Kabangu, with Martin Buluma and Austin Odiwuor grabbing 11 points apiece.

Elsewhere, Bruce Okullo had 21 points and 11 rebounds as Livingstone condemned Power to a 65-58 defeat. Diopa Lukusa and Oscar Byomuhangi scored 14 and 13 points respectively for Livingstone, who took a huge step towards survival with their fourth win of the season.

Power, led by Elvis Mutebi, Samad Imran and Phillip Ameny 14 points, 12 and 11 points respectively, lost for the sixth time in 10 games.