Despite trailing Al Ahly by 33 points in the third quarter, Uganda’s City Oilers attempted a ferocious comeback that fell short in a 70-72 loss in Game 2 of the 2023 BAL Nile Conference.
Following a defeat in their Basketball Africa League opener two days ago, the City Oilers suffered their second straight defeat in the Nile Conference with a 70-72 loss to Egyptian giants Al Ahly, in a game in which the Oilers finished strong but could not overcome the 33-point deficit.
The Ugandan champs suffered greatly from bad shooting early on. The Al Ahly shooters dominated the first half, outscoring the Oilers 40-27 (20-14, 20-13). The Oilers made 12 of 35 shots, including 1-10 from behind the arc, while Al Ahly hit 14 of 38 shots, with 5-18 3P.
The City Oilers were held back in the third quarter struggling with long-range shooting, but their poor defense and inefficiency on offense stopped them from getting back into the game, as they only managed to score 9 points, including one 3P out of seven attempts. Thus, they entered the fourth quarter down by 25 points. 36-61.
Mandy Juruni’s team did not go down without a fight. In the last period, they eventually managed to overcome Al Ahly’s tough defense while also being adept at long-range shooting.
They shot 12 of 17 from the floor including 5-7 3P, with 5 of 6 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. Ugandan-American guard, Germaine Roebuck’s fourth-quarter performance was a silver lining for the City Oilers, pouring 14 points and some threes to help the team get back in the game.
Unfortunately, his effort fell short as they cut the deficit down to only two points with 2 seconds remaining and possession in hand. However, Titus Odeke failed to take a shot within the time limit, ultimately leading to their second straight defeat.
Germaine Roebuck led the way for the Oilers on offense, pitching in 28 points, 2 assists, and eleven rebounds. For Al Ahly, Anunwa Omot tallied 17 points and seven rebounds.
The Oilers return to action at Dr Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall on May 2 against SLAC
