In a fairy-tale finish that will echo through Ugandan basketball lore for generations, the Namuwongo Blazers etched their names into history with a stunning 4-2 series victory over the dynastic City Oilers in the 2025 National Basketball League (NBL) Finals. Trailing 0-2 after a blistering start from the defending champions, the Blazers mounted one of the greatest comebacks in league history, sealing the championship with a gritty 55-68 win in Game 6 at a roaring Lugogo Indoor Arena.
For the first time since their promotion to the NBL in 2019, the Blazers affectionately known as the Nam Blazers hoisted the trophy, shattering City Oilers’ iron grip on the title. The Oilers, who entered the series chasing an unprecedented 11th straight crown and boasting 10 previous championships, were dethroned in a series defined by resilience, redemption, and raw heart.
“This isn’t just a win; it’s a revolution,” beamed some Blazers fans, their voices hoarse from the screams. “We came from the shadows of giants, and now we’re the light.”
A Nightmare Start: City Oilers’ Early Dominance
The series opener set the tone for City Oilers’ early mastery. On October 25, the Oilers, powered by mid-season imports Chad Bowie and Kurt Wegscheider dismantled the Blazers 88-72 in Game 1. Bowie, the Canadian sharpshooter, erupted for 28 points, including five threes that lit up the arena like Kampala’s skyline at dusk. The Blazers, who had stormed through the regular season with an 18-3 record, looked shell-shocked, their vaunted transition game stifled by the Oilers’ suffocating defense.
Game 2 on October 27 only deepened the despair. Another Oilers clinic: 90-83. Wegscheider’s 27 points and 10 rebounds, paired. The Oilers led wire-to-wire, their physicality a hallmark of Ugandan hoops overwhelming Nam Blazers’ youthful exuberance.
With the series seemingly slipping away, whispers of another City Oilers dynasty grew louder. After all, this was the team that had won 24 straight playoff series, a streak longer than most fans’ memories of the league.
The Turning Tide: Blazers’ Fire Ignites
If the first two games were a wakeup call, Game 3 was the alarm blaring at full volume. Back on the court, the Blazers flipped the script with a 95-80 rout. Guard Tony Drileba, acquired from the Oilers, dropped a playoff plan, channeling the fury of a team scorned. The crowd sea of red and white erupted as Drileba controlled the game to break the Oilers fast play with a painful ankle, with Innocent Ochere running the show and Anthony Chukwubuka Chukwurah picking up the rebounds.
As final games often tend to go, maintaining an elusive sense of tension, events took a decisve sing in Game 4. A nail-biter that went down to the wire, the Blazers edged out a 78-75 thriller behind the City Oilers, rattled by foul trouble. The series tied 2-2 with Ivan Muhwezi reminding us of the player he is as he picked up 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.Â
Game 5 in Lugogo was pure theater, a 71-68 Blazers squeaker that handed them a 3-2 lead. Trailing by seven entering the fourth, Nam Blazers unleashed a 15-4 run fueled by guard James Okello, a man driven by the desire to one over his former bosses and suffocating perimeter D. Bowie’s 14 points couldn’t salvage the Oilers,
Game 6 Glory: History in the Hoop
Yesterday’s clincher was a masterclass in poise. The City Oilers came out swinging, but the Namuwongo Blazers refused to blink. Led by the incandescent Tony Drileba, James Okello and Joel Lukoji crowned MVP of both the regular season and the Finals – the Blazers stormed back to win four straight, clinching their first ever National Basketball League (NBL) title with a 55-68 Game 6 victory at a deafening Lugogo Indoor Arena. The final scoreline: Nam Blazers 4, City Oilers 2.
James Okello again rose to the occasion with 16 points and 6 rebounds, while Enabu added 12, his vintage mid-range game tormenting his former teammates. A pivotal 12-2 spurt in the third quarter flipped the script, and Nam Blazers never looked back, zonal making out the City Oilers in defense in the closing minutes to ice it. Final: 55-68. The Oilers’ valiant effort of Bowie’s 13 points not enough ended in heartbreak, their dynasty paused at 10 titles.
A New Era Dawns in Ugandan Hoops
This triumph isn’t just about rings; it’s a seismic shift. The Blazers, founded in 2015 as a grassroots outfit in Kampala’s bustling Namuwongo neighborhood, have risen from NBL 2 runners-up to champions in six short years. Their offseason haul of Enabu, James Okello, and Tonny Drilleba from the Oilers paid dividends, blending veteran savvy with homegrown fire like Joel Lukoji, Innocent Ochere and Peter Obleng.
For City Oilers, the sting is fresh. The loss ends a decade of dominance but hardly dims their legacy; expect a fiercer pursuit in 2026. As confetti rained and fans chanted “Blaz-ers! Blaz-ers!”Uganda’s basketball faithful celebrated a story of defiance.
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