By Daniel Nyeko
The Namuwongo Blazers’ first-ever National Basketball League championship wasn’t just about ending City Oilers’ 12-year dominance, it was about reinventing the way a Ugandan team wins.
When Tonny Drileba returned from injury after missing the opening two games, everything changed.
His calm leadership and on-court intelligence transformed the Blazers from hopeful contenders into a machine that understood how to control tempo, manage pressure, and expose the weaknesses of a once-invincible opponent.
Drileba’s presence brought balance. His chemistry with fellow ex-Oilers James Okello and Jimmy Enabu gave Namuwongo a composure that Oilers themselves had once used to crush opponents.
Okello led Game Six with 16 points and 6 rebounds, Enabu added 12, and Drileba quietly filled every gap with 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.
The Blazers adapted their rotations, tightened their defense on the perimeter, and forced the Oilers into turnovers at key moments.
They out-rebounded the champions 48-33 and controlled the paint, cutting off City Oilers’ signature inside game.
The result was a decisive 68-55 win that closed the series 4-2 and crowned the Blazers as the new benchmark for organized, team-first basketball in Uganda.
Beyond the championship, Wednesday night also reflected a generational handover.
Nam Blazers’ guard Joel Lukoji Banza capped a breakout season by scooping both the Regular Season MVP and Playoffs MVP awards, an achievement that symbolized the league’s changing of the guard.
The Oilers’ Fayed Baale, once the face of the champions’ dominance, took home the top scorer and best three-point shooter awards, while UCU’s Joel Kayira earned Defensive Player of the Season honors.
Rez Life Saints were recognized with the Fair Play Award.
The season’s Best Five underlined this transition of power: Baale (Oilers) and Munaaba (Oilers) stood alongside Banza (Blazers), Fataki (Sommet Spartans), and Kayira (UCU), a new mix of talent across teams.
As confetti fell at Lugogo and chants of “Nam runs the city!” echoed through the arena, the message was clear: this was not just a championship win. It was a blueprint, one built on tactical maturity, team unity, and the rise of a generation ready to redefine Ugandan basketball.
