By Dismas Nuwaine
The highly anticipated matchup between Uganda Christian University (UCU) Canons and City Oilers in Game four of the NBL Semi-finals. The game took place yesterday at the YMCA Courts Wadegeya.
Much was at stake as the two giants of the NBL in game 4 of the semi-final playoffs locked horns for a spot in the NBL playoff final.
The seven-time champion City Oilers defeated Uganda Christian University (UCU) by a score of 71 to 57.
The match lived up to its acclaim and significance as the two teams laboriously put on a masterclass of a performance that left the audience astounded and completely awestruck.
The Canons put up a valiant effort as they fought valiantly to force game five, but in the end, they were unable to overcome the City Oilers, who were a very resolute team.
Samuel David Lukaire, the sports administrator at UCU, concluded that yesterday’s game was all about who wanted it most.
“The Oilers wanted it more than us and that’s just it in sports, the one who fights and desires takes it all and that’s pretty much what happened in the game,” assured Samuel.
The City Oilers were the better team, having won the first two sets of the five-set thriller set to be played.
The UCU canons forced the fourth set last time out as they deservedly outclassed the Oilers, defeating them 60 to 50 points in the third set, a game in which Baale Fayed was arguably the man of the evening as he single-handedly scored 14 points, had five rebounds and four assists.
The Canons had to stand and see their dream of reaching the final fall out of their grasp painfully by just a margin of 11 points.
The City Oilers are set to play the season’s debutants, the Nam Blazers, in the final, which is building up to be a hotly contested encounter.
As for the UCU Canons, they will be set to salvage something from the season in their third place playoff game against the KIU Titans this Sunday.
“We are a better team than they are. If the team really fights for it, they can most certainly win it,” asserted Samuel.
