Rezlife into first-ever NBL playoffs

National Basketball League 
Results
Rezlife 87 JKL 60 
Sommet v Livingstone
(Forfeited: Sommet win)
 
At about this time last year, both the Rezlife Saints and Sommet were grinding away in the second division of Ugandan basketball. 
 
Today, both are rubbing their hands in anticipation of their maiden appearances in the National Basketball League (NBL) playoffs. It is called arriving at the table of men, and how impressively they did it, particularly for Sommet, who are in their first season in the top flight. 
 
Sommet are on course for a top-three regular-season finish, while Rezlife secured sixth position yesterday with their 87-60 victory over the JKL Dolphins. And guess what? If, as appears likely, Sommet finish third, they will take on the Saints in the first round of the playoffs.
 
That promises to be a close affair. But for now both teams can reflect on a successful NBL season that, in fact, will end with one of them in the playoff semifinals. Go figure!
 
Michael Otienno, whose signing last season transformed Rezlife, dropped a game-high 21 points against the Dolphins, while Suka Fadul contributed 15 points and 13 rebounds. Rin Mabor had 13 and Akena Deo dropped 10 for Moses Okwera’s side. 
 
Kesseng Kesseng finished with a team-high 19 and 21 boards for the Dolphins, with Elvis Bwanka and Noel Ngambere scoring 14 and 12. 
 
Rezlife’s victory of course came with far-reaching ramifications. By finishing sixth, Rezlife pushed defending champions City Oilers to seventh position (if the points for and against criteria is what the basketball governing body FUBA will consider as the tiebreaker for three teams or more). 
 
That means that should the Victoria Crocs, as expected, beat the KIU Titans in their final game of the regular season, the Oilers will drop to eighth place, setting a first-round meeting with the Namuwongo Blazers.