TANZANIA : Vijana beat Oilers in basketball clash

Well-Drilled Vijana team outclassed Oilers by 70-60 points in the ongoing Dar es Salaam regional basketball league match played at the National Indoor Stadium on Sunday.

The action-packed encounter saw Vijana’severgreen player Said Khamis posting 19 points and provided as many assists to guide his team into the hard-earned victory.Playmaker Khamis delivered classic displays for Vijana with a series of well executed attacks that kept Oilers defenders under pressure for the better part of the match.Besides Khamis other players who also tormented Oilers defenders during the match were Emmanuel Mwikalo, Shisarya Mwiki and Dotto Zephania.Vijana also succeeded to contain Oilers’ industrious playmaker duo of Gerard Baru and Lusajo Samwel who have been the pillars behind Oilers’s success for the unfolding season.Vijana took a narrow 15-13 points lead at the end of the first quarterBaru had his only three-pointer of the day during the closing stages of the second quarter to narrow the margin.Vijana widened their lead in the second quarter to 29-23 to keep at bay Oilers who somewhat rediscovered their attacking form to score points.

Oilers struggle waned as the third quarter git underway with the winners pressing hard to take a huge 44-37 points lead.Oilers did not put much fight in the third quarter as they trailed Vijana by seven points with big man Obote Mwambongo marshalling Vijana’s defense.Oilers too had trouble marking Khamis who was a constant menace upfront.Zephania scored 17 points and took four rebounds for Vijana while Mwikalo had 11 points and six rebounds to hand their team crucial victory.Baru had 19 points, Naftael Msogoti scored 13 points, Samwel had nine points and three rebounds and Pius Seni added eight points for Oilers.

In another match played earlier at the same venue, Savio beat Chui by 69-56 points. Chui who struggled to catch up for most of the game only to lose steam during the closing stages.George Tarimo had 20 points and seven rebounds for Savio and playmaker Mohamed Yusuph added 17 points for the side while Ben Mkangaa scored 24 points and Dotto Charles added 16 for Chui.