UCU Canons surpass expectations, says coach Natuhereza

Aug 14, 2019

In a nutshell, that's what at stake in today's encounter between the Oilers and Canons at Lugogo.

 
National Basketball
League
Today, Lugogo
Women: A1 v KIU
Men: Oilers v UCU
 
UCU Canons coach Nick Natuhereza admits his charges have surpassed expectations after a campaign spent topping the National Basketball League (NBL) regular
season standings.
 
But can they see out the league season in the top spot or will the irrepressible force called the City Oilers reel them just in time for the playoffs?
 
In a nutshell, that's what at stake in today's encounter between the Oilers and Canons at Lugogo.
 
The Oilers have typically engaged another gear as they approach the playoffs and as they showed in their demolition of the Warriors on Saturday, the six-time defending champions want to enter the playoffs on a winning streak.
 
Mandy Juruni's troops have won the last 11 games and are second on the table with a 15-3 record. Of course, one of those three defeats came against UCU, who are a
league-leading 17-2 for the entire season, a surprising return that should put them in the title conversation but has not even in the eyes of Natuhereza himself.
 
"I don't really think we are among the title contenders," Natuhereza told New Vision Sports.
 
"We still have a lot of growing up. I think in the next two years we will be in a position to win the championship."
 
The Oilers are all about winning, of course, and will obviously want to go into the playoffs as top seeds although, in all honesty, it doesn't really matter which seed they are going into the postseason. They will be the team to beat.
 
UCU, though, can make the conversation interesting with another win over the fearsome Oilers, who fired warning shots for this game with their 83-59 thumping of the Warriors, seen as their closest challengers.

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