City Oilers’ hopes of securing a third consecutive appearance in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) ended in heartbreak after a 72-62 defeat to Nairobi City Thunder at the Kasarani Indoor Arena.
Despite a valiant effort in the East Division Elite 16 clash, the Ugandan champions could not overcome the home side, who made history as the first Kenyan team to qualify for the prestigious league.
The Oilers showed resilience throughout the game, refusing to back down even when Thunder built substantial leads.
Parrish Petty’s hot shooting from beyond the arc, along with contributions from Roger Dauna, kept the Ugandans in contention. After trailing by 18-11 at the end of the first quarter and 34-26 at halftime, the Oilers came storming back with a 6-0 run early in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to just one point at 41-40.
However, Thunder’s Garang Diing hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to extend their lead to 54-45, and the Oilers could not complete the comeback.
The final quarter saw the Oilers claw back to within four points at 66-62, but crucial missed opportunities, including nine missed free throws, proved costly.
City Oilers head coach Andrew Tendo lamented the team’s slow start, saying, “We had a slow start, allowed them to build a lead that we tried but failed to close in on. This is a wake-up call to get back to work and prepare better for the next one.”
The City Oilers will face Urunani in the third place playoffs.
