BAL: City Oilers Vs Al Ahly: Preview, Rosters and How To Watch

Friday, April 19
*Al Ahly Benghazi (Libya) Vs Bangui (Central Africa Republic) – 5pm
*Al Ahly (Egypt) Vs City Oilers (Uganda) – 8pm

Watch the Inbound Show Here:

City Oilers will commence their Nile Conference group campaign in the Basketball Africa League against hosts and defending champions Al Ahly on Friday at the Dr Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall in Cairo, Egypt.

The Ugandan Nine League champions will then compete against Bangui (Central Africa Republic) on Saturday before concluding with Al Ahly Benghazi (Libya) on Sunday.

The objective is to secure a position among the top two in the four-team group to qualify for the prestigious playoffs scheduled for May at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.

Another opportunity exists where the top two best third-placed teams across the three Conferences (Nile, Kalahari, and Sahara) also secure tickets to Rwanda.

However, Oilers will not rely solely on chances but will concentrate on securing a direct ticket by finishing in the top two of the Nile group.

The team has conducted its preparations in Cairo after a week-long training in Kampala at the Lugogo Arena under new head coach Karim Nesba.

“We are in a tough group; it’s not going to be easy,” Nesba told SportsNation Uganda.

“BAL is a good league, and it’s getting better each year. The competition levels are high this year, and our goal is to compete with the very best.

“We will give our best every time we step on the court, and that is our primary mission. We aim to maintain a positive mentality, and the results will manifest. We want to give ourselves a chance to qualify for the playoffs.”

Nesba, 37, is a former guard who represented Morocco in several international tournaments, including the FIBA Afrobasket and World Cup Qualifiers. He previously coached at the NBA Africa Academy.

The encounter against Al Ahly offers Oilers another opportunity to face the Egyptian giants, having suffered a 70-72 defeat to them last year at the same stage and venue.

However, Oilers are without Germaine Roebuck (28), Fallando Jones (15), and James Justice (11), who scored double digits on that day, not to mention national team captain Jimmy Enabu.

Nonetheless, they boast an equally strong, if not stronger, roster this time with the additions of Rembert Patrick Ronald and Ahmed Bashir Mohammed.

Robinson Opong, Dane Miller Junior, Brandon Ssebirumbi, and NBA Elevate player Khaman Maluachi have also been included in the team, which comprises six local-based players.

Oilers advanced to this stage after finishing among the top two teams at the BAL Elite 16 last year in Cape Town, South Africa.

Overcoming Al Ahly, the defending champions, may be a significant challenge for the Oilers, but it’s a battle they eagerly anticipate.

Securing two wins out of the three games will grant Oilers a ticket to the BAL playoffs in Rwanda.

How To Watch:

The games will be live on BAL Youtube channel.

Rosters:

Al Ahly – Ehab Amin Saleh, Marawan Sarhan, Seifelden Kaidar Hendawy, Mark Steven Lyons (Ghana), Prince Adams Ali (Ghana), Amr Sherif Mohammed, Mohamed Elmaraghy, Karim Hatem Elgizawy, Mohamed Abdelkawy, Tony Rasean Mitchel (USA), Patrick Gardner, Moustafa Mohamed Elmekawi, Omar Tareky Oraby

City Oilers – Allawi Ssenkubuge, Tony Drilleba, James Okello, Titus Lual, Fayed Baale, Ivan Muhwezi, Khaman Maluach (NBA Academy), Dane Miller Jr Anthony, Opong Odoch Robinson, Brandon Sebirumbi, Rembert Patrick Ronald, Ahmed Bashir Mohammed