The City Oilers stormed back in emphatic fashion to tighten their grip on the National Basketball League semifinals, outmuscling Sommet 79-63 in Game 3 at Lugogo Indoor Arena on Sunday night.
The defending champions now command a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series, leaving them just one win away from another grand finals appearance.
What started as a balanced contest quickly turned into a rollercoaster. Sommet came out firing, with John Focus Teko sealing the first quarter at 22-20 from the line, before stretching their advantage to a 42-38 halftime cushion.
Their momentum carried into the third period, where they maintained a five-point edge (59-54), setting the stage for what many expected to be a nail-biting finish.
But then came the Oilers’ storm. In the final quarter, the six-time champions unleashed a ruthless 22-0 scoring run, suffocating Sommet on both ends of the court and flipping the tie on its head.
The crowd roared as the Oilers dismantled every ounce of resistance to walk off with a 16-point statement victory.
Jordan Chad Bowie and Kurt Curry Wegscheider led the charge with 19 points apiece, while Mer Maker added 14 crucial points. On Sommet’s side, Nyembo Fataki (19), Kasereka Tembo (16), and Peter Cheng (11) did their best to keep their team afloat but were ultimately swallowed by the Oilers’ tidal wave.
