City Oilers: basketball ‘dictator’ goes on 

At the tail-end of the 2022 National Basketball League, during the playoffs, eight-time defending champions City Oilers were nicknamed ‘the Dictator’ by their haters, especially those that were rooting for Namuwongo Blazers to dethrone them. Oilers, however, seem to have taken offence since then, JOHN VIANNEY NSIMBE writes…

The City Oilers can only lose to City Oilers! That could not have been clearer than was the case on Friday, June 16 at the Lugogo indoor stadium. Following a total clean-up of its opposition in the first round, City Oilers started the second round with a 72-52 win over the Namuwongo Blazers, as they maintained their 100 per cent record.

Blazers were seen in the eyes of many as Oilers’ biggest rivals because of their fight in the playoff finals best of seven series. They lost 3-4. Perhaps, that belief was further accentuated, when Oilers beat Blazers 57-51 in their first-round meeting. But how far off the mark those sentiments appear now, as it is undoubtedly a one-man Oilers show!

Bob Buga, a former Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (Fuba) vice-president, noted that the gulf between Oilers and the rest of the league has been gradually growing over the last ten years since their maiden championship in 2013.

Buga attributed this to the Oilers management unit that is second to none. He added that it has proved to be intentional in whatever they do; no gambling. A case in point is when they secured promotion to the top flight NBL at the end of 2012, their recruitment included specific players that would enable them compete.

Jimmy Enabu was one of the first acquisitions from Power. Enabu had been instrumental in Power’s 2010 and 2011 championship winning seasons just aged 24.

Oilers also added Kami Kabange, and it is hard to forget how dominant that Rwandese international was in the paint. He remains one of the best post players to grace the NBL over the last 20 years, which is why he moved on for big monies in 2018.

On the other hand, Tom Ocamringa, a basketball coach and commentator, added that Oilers’ blueprint is of a professional club. It is hard to actually equate the rest of the league to a similar mindset.

The cash investment in the team points to that, too. As such, they are able to sustain their players with a salary of a middle-class Ugandan. A salary of Shs 1 million can keep someone going without feeling destitute.

In addition, for Oilers to participate in the two rounds of the Basketball Af- rica League (BAL), a reported sum of about $120,000 (Shs 450m) was spent. The other top sides in the country apparently have an annual budget of Shs 50 million.

One needs nothing more to understand why the ‘dictator’ will not fall. In fact, going the whole season unbeaten is a new record Oilers must be aiming to achieve now.