City Oilers, Sommet Set for Explosive Showdown

Tuesday, September 16
*Nam Blazers Vs UCU Canons – 7pm
*City Oilers Vs Sommet – 9pm

City Oilers and Sommet lock horns on Tuesday night at Lugogo in game one of their best-of-five semifinal series of the National Basketball League (NBL) Playoffs.

The Oilers, chasing another run to the Finals, booked their place in the last four after eliminating JT Jaguars, while Sommet stunned KCCA Panthers to set up this clash.

The two sides were evenly matched in the regular season, splitting their meetings. Oilers claimed the first 83-69, before Sommet bounced back with a narrow 90-87 victory in the reverse fixture.

The Oilers will once again look to their new signings, Chad Bowie and Kurt Curry Wegscheider, who joined after the regular season. The pair were instrumental in the sweep against Jaguars but must stay disciplined—Wegscheider fouled out in game one of that series, and Bowie suffered the same in game two.

Wegscheider, however, showed his scoring touch with a game-high 20 points in the second leg, while the supporting cast of Fayed Baale, Titus Lual, Joseph Chuma, and Moses Maker will need to step up. Coach Andrew Tendo will also be tasked with managing his rotations effectively.

Sommet, under the guidance of coach Albert Aciko, carry belief that they can achieve what no team has managed before—ousting Oilers in a playoff series.

Their hopes, for a side at this stage for the very first time, will rest on the shoulders of Nyembo Fataki, who is averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds, alongside Kasereka Tembo, John Focus Teko, and Peter Cheng.