Since the National Basketball League (NBL) men’s championship concluded a month ago, its first major fall-out was realized last week, when City Oilers fired their coach, Andrew Tendo.
Tendo had been at the helm since 2024, the last year Oilers won the league. But after failing to win the 2025 and 2026 championship, the club called time on Tendo’s reign, as a possible restructuring of the team for next season seems underway already.
And perhaps, it is the time to reflect on what could have been. For the City Oilers, they are in new territory, as it is the first time since joining the NBL at the end of 2012, that they have gone back-to-back seasons without winning the league.
Yet, there is no contest about the fact that they made the best of seven series with the Namuwongo Blazers a real worthwhile battle, winning three of the games in the playoff final.
If Oilers had won, American import, Patrick Rembert, who scored 27 points in game seven, and averaged 18.5 points in the post-season would have undoubtedly been the finals Most Valuable Player. But even without that accolade, does he rank as the best Oilers has signed for the playoffs?
During the 2025 playoff series, Oilers unleashed Chad Bouwie and Kurt Curry. The two guards elevated the level of the Oilers to unbelievable heights. For a team that had struggled in the regular season, finishing near the cut-off mark in seventh, coach Andrew Tendo’s team became simply unplayable en route the final.
Because of Bouwie’s ball handling skills, and the finishing of Curry, they outclassed the JT Jaguars, who had beaten them hands down twice, in the regular season. Curry and Bouwie made relative light work of the Jaguars, winning the best of three series, 2-0.
Even a pretty strong Sommet side, which they met in the semis was edged 3-2 because of those two stars. And considering what they showcased during their time in the post-season, few would disagree with the suggestion that they were elite basketball players, arguably the best to have played in Lugogo.
Yet, a year before, perhaps few can forget the look of bewilderment that the UCU Canons coach, Nick Natuhereza spotted, when Oilers brought Petty Parrish during their semifinals. Parrish’s shooting ability was unbelievably good, that he left many of the fans at Lugogo, then, in awe.
One could have mistakenly thought that the Oilers had signed Steph Curry from the Golden State Warriors. That is how good Parrish was. A phenomenal shooter. But at the same time, he was a quick dribbler, who also scored on the drive with utmost efficiency.
That said, Albert Ahabwe, the National Men’s Basketball team manager said: “Well, Rembert was all that Parrish was and more. He is the best import among those that the Oilers has brought recently.”
For UCU assistant coach, Emmanuel Kiguyi, Rembert is the true definition of a floor general. He is everything one wants in a point-guard. Not only does he get the team executing its plays through the manner in which he handles the ball, and also gets every teammate well positioned and involved, he scores a lot.
Kiguyi added: “Curry was simply a good wing. He was elite at going downhill and playing in transition, while Bouwie did well as a combo guard at one and two.”
But what sets Rembert is his ability to manouvre through tight spaces by simply being physical. Yet, his level of creativity, being able to thread a pass through the eye of a needle means he is up there on his own, Kiguyi noted. He is probably one the Oilers should be dying to keep, because it is players of his kind that can see them return to glory.
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