The City Oilers are back where they always expect to be, sealing an 11th consecutive berth in the National Basketball League finals after defeating Sommet BC 79-70 in a decisive Game Five at YMCA Grounds, Wandegeya.
The 10-time champions entered Friday’s clash with no room for error, as the semifinal series were locked at 2-2.
Sommet had won Game One and sprung another upset in Game Four, while the Oilers had steadied themselves with victories in Games Two and Three. In the end, the experience of the seasoned side made the difference.
In Game Five, the Oilers dominated early, racing to a 31-18 first-quarter lead capped by Kurt Wegscheider’s layup.
Sommet responded before halftime, trimming the gap to 45-38 with Nyembo Fataki cool at the line. The Spartans pressed again in the third quarter, closing within three at 53-50, but they soon faded.
Mer Maker’s layup restored a double-digit cushion, stretching the lead to 71-59 heading into the final period.
A scrappy stretch followed, both sides misfiring for five minutes, but the Oilers held firm to claim a nine-point win.
Maker led with 23 points, Wegscheider added 20, and Chad Bowie chipped in 19. Sommet’s effort was anchored by Peter Cheng’s 14, Fataki’s 13, and Mark Ngobi’s 12.
With the result, City Oilers extend a streak that stretches back to 2013, having reached every final since promotion and winning them all.
Last season they swept the now relegated KIU Titans 4-0, and in 2023 beat the same side 4-2. Across 10 finals, they have faced seven different opponents, defeating each.
This year, they face the Namuwongo Blazers in a best-of-seven series. The Blazers, regular-season leaders, arrive in top form after sweeping both Rezlife Saints and UCU Canons.
Their roster carries added intrigue, featuring former Oilers stars Jimmy Enabu, Tonny Drilleba, James Okello, and ex-captain Ivan Muhwezi.
The two sides last met in the 2022 finals, where Oilers edged the Blazers 4-3 in a thriller. The final promises fireworks, with Oilers banking on their pedigree and the Blazers hunting their first crown.
