City Oilers battle Cobra in do or die clash

KIGALI (Rwanda) - When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Those lyrics from Billy Ocean's classic in 1985 fully reflect what the City Oilers of Uganda are going through at the moment.

Awarded a walkover in their opener against Kenya Ports Authority after the latter did not show up, the Ugandan champions marched into their second tie hoping for victory against Mozambique's Ferroviario de Maputo. 

A poor start saw them pay the high price of a loss that ultimately means Thursday's encounter against the South Sudanese champions Cobra is a must win tie if they are to qualify for the Semi-Finals on Saturday. 

“WE STILL HAVE A SECOND CHANCE. WE HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON OURSELVES. I BELIEVE IN THE TEAM. I BELIEVE WE SHALL DO BETTER. I BELIEVE WE ARE STILL IN THE RACE FOR WHAT WE CAME FOR. CITY OILERS IS ONE OF THE TOP TEAMS IN THE TOURNAMENT. WE HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT. ”- Juruni

City Oilers head coach Mandy Juruni admitted that his side will have to better their start and approach to this game than they did yesterday but most importantly, now that they have a game under their belts, they need to find their rhythm. 

Against Cobra, City Oilers find a team whose average height is 6ft5in and age is 24 years, quick on their feet and yearning to make an impression at this stage. 

Juruni will, however, look towards the depth in squad and experience over the years to come in handy on an evening that will make or break them in this competition. A win will see them book a place in the Semi-Finals and ultimately a chance to be one of the three teams from Division East that will progress to the Final 12. 

"We still have a second chance. We have to concentrate on ourselves. I believe in the team. I believe we shall do better. I believe we are still in the race for what we came for. City Oilers is one of the top teams in the tournament. We have to believe that," Juruni told FIBA.basketball. 

Cobra head coach William Wuor said that he expects a very tough game against the City Oilers but believes that if his players take one possession at a time, they can win this game. 

Wuor will look to small forward Geoffrey Soro who plies his trade in Uganda for Power and has faced the Oilers in the topflight league over the years. 

"Of course he has told us about the City Oilers and what to expect from them. He will also add a lot of experience to the team. We are ready for this game and want to win," Wuor said.

Meanwhile, Ferroviario de Maputo will be looking to extend their unbeaten run when they take on Kenya Ports Authority in what is expected to be a physical face-off between two teams that take pride in size. 

Alvaro Calvo Masa, who is averaging 20 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.3 rebounds, will be the man to stop but whether KPA will be up to the task will depend on how hungry they are for victory. 

Helton Ubisse and Octavio Magolico bring immense energy into the paint as well and that should make for good viewing when they come up against Okall Koranga and Michael Kazunguzibwa. 

Hosts Patriots take on GNBC of Madagascar in a battle that will determine who will finish top of Group A as both sides have qualified for the Semi-Finals already. 

"We are ready for this game. We have watched them play and seen the crowd as well but we are here to mean business. We want to qualify for the BAL Final 12 and we shall do everything to get there," Lova Navalona Raharidera, GNBC head coach. 

 Mandimbison is averaging 16.8 points and 6 rebounds

His counterpart on the other side Carey Odhiambo said, "It is important for us to have confidence and that is dependent on winning games. Our team is good at shooting the ball and we have pride in doing so. We are not afraid of taking the shots. We are skinny. We need to get those shots. The more shots we take, the more chances of winning the game."

In the first game of the day, winless JKT from Tanzania will be up against the University of Zambia Pacers with both sides looking to end the tournament on a high note. 

FIBA