Basketball Africa League ticket at stake as City Oilers battle Patriots
BAL Qualifiers | Division East Semifinals | Kigali Arena
- Ferroviareo de Maputo vs. GNBC – 6:00pm, Local Time (7:00pm, EAT)
- Patriots vs. City Oilers – 8:30pm, Local Time (9:30pm, EAT)
City Oilers will battle Patriots in the most anticipated game of the Basketball Africa League qualifiers (Division East) on Saturday night at Kigali Arena.
The rivalry between the two clubs has grown over the year’s and tonight’s matchup at the magnificent arena in Remera has a ticket to the inaugural Basketball Africa League attached.
While Patriots go into the contest unbeaten since the qualifiers started with the first round in Dar es Salaam, City Oilers have fallen twice and one of the defeats came against their opponents in the final of the first round of qualifiers.
City Oilers will be looking to avenge the defeat and also seal qualification directly. And their head coach Mandy Juruni says his charges have been game ready.
“Coming into this tournament, we knew we were going to face Patriots at some point so we are prepared for the game.”
Oilers started the tournament slow losing to Ferroviario but recovered against Cobra Sport with Devento Elliot who looked fragile in the first game getting better. His compatriot Tyray Petty adjusted much quicker and could be the primary defender of Kenneth Gasana who directs Patriots offense.
Jordin Mayes has been Oilers biggest points contributor and will be the go-to man. Patriots starting point guard Aristide Mugabe and Sedar Sagamba who is Odhiambo’s goto option in the man-to-man defense could have a torrid night.
GNBC showed the hosts can be vulnerable when opponents go small but Juruni may hardly go small as James Okello, Landry Ndikumana and Ivan Lumanyika give him the presence down low against the likes of George Blakeney Jr, Junior Kosongo, Ellie Kaje and A’darius Pegues.
For Carey Odhiambo, Patriots head coach, the focus is even beyond the game against City Oilers.
“We want to make Rwandans happy. We want to give them a Christmas present by winning the tournament,” he says.
Rising star Jean-Victor Mukama who’s not afraid of shooting the ball was the top performer for Patriots in the overtime win over GNBC and he will definitely go back and forth with Robinson Opong
The post Basketball Africa League ticket at stake as City Oilers battle Patriots appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
0 Response to "Basketball Africa League ticket at stake as City Oilers battle Patriots"
Post a Comment