Basketball Play-Off: UCU out for change against City Oilers

National Basketball League Finals

Game 4: Tomorrow @ Lugogo

Oilers v UCU

(Oilers led series 2-1)

What can change in a month?

That is the question ahead of Game 4 of the National Basketball League (NBL) Finals between the City Oilers and UCU Canons today at Lugogo. The focus is back to the NBL Finals after the month-long break necessitated by the Oilers' ultimately futile quest to qualify for the Basketball Africa League (BAL) regular season and it remains to be seen what the second chapter of this best-of-seven series holds.

For instance, will the Oilers be in the same ruthless frame of mind that saw them bounce back from losing Game 1 to taking a 2-1 lead? Have they truly gotten over the disappointment of missing out on BAL? And can they cope without a fully-fit Tony Drileba?

The defending six-time champions, who showed great maturity and determination in seizing control of the Finals despite an atrocious injury crisis that left them with eight players, have their questions.

City Oilers' James Okello beats UCU Canons' Joseph Chuma during game one of the best of seven final play-offs game at Lugogo, Nov 28 2019. UCU won 67-59. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

But the Canons, mandated to avoid another defeat if the dream of a first championship is to be preserved, have more for now.

"We made a lot of errors in the games we lost so that is one thing we must correct for Game 4 and the rest of the series," UCU coach Nick Natuhereza said.

"We can't afford to shoot ourselves in the foot, especially against a team like the Oilers. We have had enough time to look at the three games and we saw some things we can change but it starts with playing with control and limiting our mistakes.

Oilers coach Mandy Juruni believes, "If we do the right things, we will be okay".