The City Oilers scored on 5 of their 6 possessions in the clutch to secure a 78-73 victory in game 5 of the 2026 NBL Finals. With this, the Oilers now lead the series 3-2 and could on their way to an 11th Championship.

Game 5 was a pivotal game and coming into it, both teams knew how big the advantage would be if they secured the win. The Namuwongo Blazers had won game 4 but they were now under pressure to win back-to-back games.

The Namuwongo Blazers started the game in a high gear and they score on each of their first 5 possessions. they then led the game 12-5 but the Oilers did not panic. They score a couple of baskets in transition and Rembert was very key. He had 6 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in the quarter. At the end of the quarter, the Blazers led the game 23-19.

In the second quarter, the Oilers were more efficient than the Blazers. They scored 9 field goals from 17 attempts while the Blazers had just 5 from the same number of attempts. Matter of fact, City oilers made 5 of their first 6 field goal attempts in the quarter and this efficiency helped them tremendously.

At the end of the quarter, the City Oilers led the game 41-40 and what this meant was another feisty second half. A lot was on the line for both teams and whoever was more clinical would secure the win.

The third quarter more like a seesaw. Whenever one team scored, the other responded. In the first 5 minutes, there were a total of 6 lead changes. Neither team was creating a separation but shortly after, the City Oilers managed to make a run to take a 6-point lead. Just as you thought that they were running away with the game, the Blazers responded and finished the quarter on a 6-0 run to level the game at 58 points each.

Just like the third quarter, neither team was creating a separation early in the fourth. However, Namuwongo managed to take a 5-point lead although it did not last long. Joel Lukoji and Titus Lual each made a huge 3-point shot and Rembert punished the Blazers from the free throw line in clutch time.

Rembert scored all his 6 free throw attempts in the clutch and a very vital floater. Titus Lual’s triple was also timely and the efficiency in the final moments of the game helped the Oilers win the game 78-73.

Talking Points

3-point shooting

Just like in game 2 and 3, the Namuwongo Blazers did a lot of things right but once again, their 3-point shooting let them down. They made just 5 of 24 3-point shot attempts while the City Oilers made 7 of 20.

Clutch Oilers

The City Oilers were very efficient in the clutch. They scored on 5 of their 6 possessions in the final 5 minutes of the game. Most importantly, they managed to convert all of their 6 free throw attempts. Patrick Rembert scored a very big floater that in one way or another decided the game. Titus Lual also hit a big 3 late in the game.

Tembo out / Allowing Rembert on the ball

In game 4, one of the key reasons as to why the Blazers won the game was the impact of Kasereka Tembo. He was the ultimate disruptor and did not allow Rembert to get a hold of the ball. Of Rembert’s 19 points in game 4, only 4 came when Tembo was on the floor. In game 5, Tembo played for less than 3 minutes and it said that he was injured. The Blazers did not have another disruptor like him and thus allowed Rembert on the ball. As a result, he punished them severely.

Fouls/ refereeing

In game 4, the referees allowed a lot of physicality. The case was not the same for game 5 as a number of fouls were called. There was a total of 56 fouls called and 69 free throws attempted. With this, teams had to keep rotating players and we saw Namuwongo’s Nyembo, who was clutch in game 3, foul out with less than 4 minutes left in the game.  

Top Performers

Patrick Rembert registered a game high 28 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Joel Lukoji scored a lot of points in transition and he finished with 14 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Jonathan Komagum and Titus Lual also registered double digit points with 10 points each.

Arthur Wanyoto led the Blazers in scoring with 15 points and 7 rebounds. Anthony Chukwurah registered a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists. Peter Obleng, James Okello and Innocent Ochera each had 8 points.

Game 6

The City Oilers now lead the series 3-2 and the pressure is on the Namuwongo Blazers. It will be a must win game 6 for the Namuwongo Blazers when the 2 teams meet next on Wednesday 19th August at the Lugogo Indoor Arena.

The last time the Blazers trailed 3-2 in the finals, it was during the 2022 season. They managed to force game 7 in which they lost. Just like in 2022, they find themselves in a situation where they must win. Can they win back-to-back games in order to retain their championship?