City Oilers converge at Silver Springs hotel in Bugolobi today to begin training ahead of their scheduled National Basketball League (NBL) men’s play-off finals against Power.
The best-of-seven play-off final series tips off January 6. For the first time in NBL history, the season, which normally runs as per the calendar year, will enter into another year.
It is expected to be not only a new experience, but also a big test for the two teams under the circumstances. City Oilers assistant coach Justus Mugisha said that having recently been at the Africa basketball club championships (ACC) in Egypt, the experience there was tough because of the level of competition.
So, since the tournament concluded for them on December 16, the players took a break, to be with their families during this festive season. But now they have to get back to rigourous training, so that they are ready for the Power test.
To a large extent, Oilers, following the kind of opposition from Egypt, Morocco, Angola and even Cameroon they faced during the ACC, is seen to have given them a lot of test; the kind that has enabled them raise their game.
This should ordinarily make Power a no match for them because of the top level continental teams they have been slugging it out with. But on the other hand, there is always a danger that having played too much basketball in recent times, including the Fiba Africa Zone Five championship in Dar es Salaam in October, could take its toll on Oilers.
Games have been coming thick and fast for Oilers, although before they left for the ACC, their coach Mandy Juruni said that it is games that any team aiming to win, must have because it helps build momentum.
That is not something Power coach Arnold Lando can boast about now. His team’s last game, was on November 25. That was the decisive semi-final game five against KIU Titans at the YMCA court in Wandegeya: “Of course since that time, we have been doing pick-up basketball, to try and keep the bodies in relatively-good shape. We have actually been doing this two to three times a week, but nothing too serious. But we begin serious training today at the YMCA,” said Lando.
It has not been easy keeping the focus on the big prize, especially because of how far ahead the finals were scheduled, Lando said. Some players went on early holidays out of the country, while others have been away at work since the finals were not immediate.
So, when training begins today, Lando does not expect a full house. Yet, he yearns for that, to sharpen up his defence as quickly as possible, a key requirement to stop the Oilers, going for a fourth title in a row, he pointed out.
In the meantime, UCU Lady Canons, the champions and KCCA Leopards, the runners-up in the women’s NBL final, will have their feet up, relaxing as they wait for the 2017 season to begin in April.
The two teams concluded their final on December 9, with the UCU ladies walking away with the title on 6-5 victory in the series.
jovi@observer.ug