The 2024 Castle Lite National Basketball League Champions, City Oilers are heading to the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Elite 16 tournament with high hopes and a reinforced squad as they aim to secure a spot in the coveted BAL Nile Conference.
The tournament, which runs from November 28 to December 3 in Nairobi, Kenya, will see the Oilers compete against some of the best teams from across the continent.
To advance to the BAL, City Oilers must finish among the top three teams in the East Division of the Elite 16. The tournament serves as the final qualification stage for the BAL, with six teams—three from each of the East and West divisions—joining six pre-qualified teams from Angola, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and Tunisia in the regular season.
The Oilers will face tough competition, including Kenya’s Nairobi City Thunder, Burundi’s Urunani, South Africa’s MBB, Zambia’s Bravehearts Basketball, Malawi’s Matero Magic, and South Sudan’s Fox Basketball.
Matches will take place at the Nyayo Stadium gymnasium and the Kasarani Indoor Arena, venues that the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) has assured will be ready for the high-profile event.
To strengthen their chances, the City Oilers have added several new players to their roster ahead of the tournament.
Waleed Wazir, a product of iHoops Basketball Academy since 2013 will bring years of structured training and game understanding to the team.
Peter Obleng, who played for KIU last season has also joined the squad with Israel Otobo, Germaine Roebuck, and Falando Jones adding to the depth to the Oilers’ lineup.
With these new additions complementing their experienced core, the Oilers are expected to be a formidable force on the court.
