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City Oilers advanced to the Road to Basketball Africa League(BAL) Elite 16 semi finals despite suffering a last group game 75:78 loss to Burundi’s Urunani in Kasarani Arena on Sunday.
Oilers enjoyed a great start to the game heading into halftime with a 20 point lead. However, the Burundians bounced back to push the game into over-time after both teams were tied at 67 points a pieced at the end of the fourth quarter.
Oilers didn’t have two of the their best players on the day heading into overtime, Maker Mo and Israel Otobo who had achieved 21 rebounds.
This was deja vu since Urunani defeated Oilers in the semis of the same tournament in 2022 and the side is now captained by former Oilers player laundry Ndikumana.
We had a good start but they played a more aggressive second half. A few turnovers in crucial moments in the final quarter also did us in as they took advantage and punished us. Losing two key players to fouls in such a game had its impact too.
In the Semis we will need to be more clinical, aggressive and make better decisions in key moments to assure ourselves a place in BAL,” Said Oilers’ forward Titus Lual Odeke.
Oilers’ who finished second in group be are set to play hosts Nairobi City Thunder who topped group A and today’s other semi finals will see group B leaders Urunani up against Kriol star.
The two finalists will be guaranteed a spot at the BAL 2025 finals to be held in South Africa.
