Africa-Press – Uganda. For the first time in ten years, Uganda’s National Basketball League has new champions.
The Namuwongo Blazers etched their name into the history books on Wednesday night after dethroning the City Oilers with a decisive 68–55 victory in Game Six of the NBL Finals at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium, winning the series 4–2.
Under the stewardship of head coach Stephen Nyeko, the Blazers completed a stunning comeback in the best-of-seven series, rallying from a 2–0 deficit to clinch the championship 4–2. The triumph marks the Blazers’ first-ever league title, ending a decade of City Oilers’ dominance that began in 2013.
The Blazers’ victory was anchored by experience, resilience, and strategic execution — much of it fueled by four former Oilers players who turned the tide against their old club.
Veterans Jimmy Enabu, James Okello, Ivan Muhwezi, and Tonny Drileba delivered commanding performances, combining leadership and composure to steer their side to glory. Okello fired a game-high 16 points on the night, Enabu added 12, and Drileba chipped in 10 — each basket feeling like poetic justice.
Peter Obleng contributed 11 crucial points as the Blazers out-rebounded the champions 48–33 and outscored their bench 18–9, displaying the depth and hunger that carried them to the title.
The Oilers, who had claimed ten consecutive titles since 2013, appeared destined for number eleven after racing to a 2–0 series lead. But the Blazers responded with four straight victories, each one chipping away at the aura of invincibility that had surrounded the champions for over a decade.
Game Six began with the Blazers sprinting to a 6–0 lead as their passionate supporters roared with every possession. The Oilers steadied themselves to edge the first quarter 16–15 — but that would be their last moment of control. The teams traded baskets to a 35–35 halftime deadlock before Namuwongo seized the third quarter 18–10, building an insurmountable cushion.
Despite strong individual performances from Jordan Bowie (13 points), Fayed Baale (11), Moses Maker (10), and Kurt-Curry Wegscheider (10), the Oilers shot a frigid 28 percent from beyond the arc and coughed up 20 turnovers. For a team that had mastered the art of winning for so long, they looked uncharacteristically mortal when it mattered most.
When the final buzzer sounded on the 13-point victory, the Indoor Arena erupted. Blazers fans flooded the court. Some cried. Some danced. Most couldn’t believe what they had seen. Years of frustration released in a single night. You could feel history breathing.
This was vindication for a club established in 2015, whose roots traced back to pickup games on a missionary-built court in Namuwongo in the 1990s. It was also revenge for their heartbreaking Game Seven loss to these same Oilers in the 2022 finals, when a 66–64 defeat left scars that only a championship could heal.
The first half saw a tense back-and-forth affair, with the Oilers edging the opening quarter 16–15, only for the Blazers to respond in kind to level the score 35–35 at halftime. The second half, however, belonged entirely to the Blazers. Their defensive intensity and efficient offense silenced the Oilers’ attack, gradually building a six-point cushion before breaking away in the final minutes to secure a 13-point win.
The electric atmosphere at a fully packed Lugogo Arena mirrored the shift in Ugandan basketball’s balance of power. The crowd roared as the Blazers sealed their victory, signaling the end of an era for the City Oilers — 10-time champions who found themselves unable to respond to the Blazers’ depth and determination.
Rising star Joel Lukoji, who averaged 11 points, four rebounds, and four assists throughout the season, capped off a remarkable campaign by being named both Regular Season and Finals MVP. His consistency and leadership proved vital in the Blazers’ historic run.
Coach Nyeko credited the team’s composure and collective spirit for the win, emphasizing the importance of experience from his senior players.
“We believed we could do it. The players who came from Oilers brought championship DNA, and the rest of the team rose to the challenge. This title is for everyone who believed in Nam Blazers basketball,” Nyeko said after the game.
For the City Oilers, the loss marked a humbling conclusion to a turbulent season. After finishing seventh in the regular season — their lowest placement in club history — the Oilers managed to reach the finals on the backs of imports Chad Bowie and Kurt Wegscheider, but lacked the depth and cohesion that once made them unbeatable.
Two-time MVP Titus Lual and guard Fayed Baale struggled to find form as the Blazers exploited the Oilers’ weaknesses across the series.
The result not only crowns a new champion but also signals a potential changing of the guard in Ugandan basketball. With balanced talent, strong leadership, and unrelenting hunger, the Namuwongo Blazers have proven that the future of the NBL belongs to more than just one powerhouse.
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