Saturday, August 22
•Nam Blazers 81-74 City Oilers (4-3)
Namuwongo Blazers are the 2026 National Basketball League champions after beating 10-time winners City Oilers 81-74 in overtime in a thrilling Game Seven at Hoima City Stadium.
The Blazers who have edged the series 4-3, had to fight back after trailing 16-12 at the end of the opening quarter before taking the game to the wire.
City Oilers forced overtime through two free throws from Landry Ndikumana that tied the game 66-66 at the end of regulation time. However, the Blazers dominated overtime, winning the extra period 15-8 to seal back-to-back championships.
Nyembo Fataki delivered a game-high 35 points, shooting 13-for-21 from the field, and drew MVP chants from the crowd for his outstanding performance.
Jimmy Enabu and Anthony Chuckwurah added 12 points each as the Blazers held on to reclaim the title.
Patrick Rembert led the Oilers with 27 points, while Fayed Bbaale and Landry Ndikumana contributed 14 and 10 points respectively. Rembert fell to the floor at the final buzzer as the Oilers’ title defence came to an end, while Bbaale and Roebuck had earlier fouled out.
The Blazers also won the rebounding battle 55-48 despite struggling from beyond the arc, where they shot just 3-for-15.
The victory gives Namuwongo a second consecutive league title and another opportunity to represent Uganda in the Basketball Africa League.
The championship comes despite a controversy that preceded Game Six, when the Blazers petitioned FUBA over City Oilers’ use of more than four foreign-based players. The matter was subsequently forwarded to the National Council of Sports.
City Oilers had recruited Patrick Rembert, Germaine Roebuck and Jonathan Komagum ahead of the playoffs as they sought to reclaim the title, but their campaign has ended in another defeat to the Blazers.
The Oilers, who dominated Ugandan basketball with 10 consecutive championships, have now surrendered the crown to Namuwongo for the second year running.
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