Africa-Press – Uganda. Fidel Oduor Okoth was the name on everyone’s mind after City Oilers 63-60 victory over UCU Canons Saturday evening in Mukono.
The Kenyan took care of business as the champions were tested enroute to a sixth victory of the season. He nailed three shots from three-point range and recorded 12 points and six rebounds to help Oilers close out a tough encounter that was decided in the last 24 seconds.
His performance might have caught the attention of many but the forward is adamant the best is yet to come.
“I know I can do better than that,” he told Daily Monitor after the game.
“This was a tough game. UCU really played good basketball.”
Okoth has been a permanent fixture in Mandy Juruni’s rotation since joining the Oilers from Kenya’s Strathmore University at the start of the season.
His ability to protect the rim and rebound, the mid-range shot and movement has added more quality to the Oilers’ front court that already had Landry Ndikumana and James Okello.
The kind of basketball at Oilers has also made it quite easy for him to fit in.
“They play with a structure and share the ball a lot. That’s the type of basketball I like,” Okoth said.
With both Ndikumana and Okello yet to show the form they had in the previous seasons, Okoth is an option Juruni is ready to trust with big minutes as the season nears its business end.
Canons still a force
“He adds competition in the team,” Juruni said of his new recruit.
“I can afford to sit out Okello or Ndikumana if [they are] not performing. I couldn’t do that in previous seasons because that’s what I had,” he added.
UCU showed they are still a team to contend with and asked questions of the Oilers even without shooting guard Jerry Kayanga, and Isaiah Ater struggling.
A third quarter collapse saw the Canons, who led 32-27 at the half, manage just three points as the Oilers went up 44-35 going into the last 10 minutes.
Fadhili Chuma had a costly turnover midway through the fourth. With UCU cutting the deficit to five points, his pass to Titus Lual was intercepted by Jimmy Enabu, who set up Tonny Drileba for an easy lay to take the lead back to seven.
The Tanzanian recovered and dropped a three pointer, stole Okello’s inbound and laid up to get the deficit back to two points but Enabu made one of two free throws to settle the contest.
