DAR ES SALAAM (Tanzania) The opening game of Group C the 2022 Road To BAL saw Burundi club Urunani overpower hosts Army Basketball Club 70-45 at the Benjamin Mkapa Indoor Stadium on Friday night.

Team captain Landry Ndikumana scored a team and game-high 18-points and crashed seven boards. Urunani's point guard Guibert Nijimbere had 10 points in his team's dominant display over their East African neighbours.

Earlier in the game,  after missing a layup, Ndikumana grabbed his rebound to score the opening bucket for Urunani and the game.

Two minutes into the game Calvo Masa, who had three points, left the game with an injury with the game at 5-2.

With the first quarter nearing the halfway mark, Urunani settled into the game. The Burundi club added four more points (9-2) to build a seven-point lead.

The Burundian club finished the first quarter stronger as they piled on the points in the closing minutes. Four three-pointers saw Urunani finish the quarter 21-7 up, with Ndikumana leading the scoring with seven points and  grabbing five rebounds.

Urunani continued with their calm and composed style of play and added six more points, with Kenyan forward Paul Ereng scoring four inside the paint area for the 27-13.

Urunani captain Ndikumana was a menace in the paint. He helped himself to six points. The forward found himself in space from three-point range and scored. Ndikumana then backed into his defender and stepped back for the mid-range. He would be fouled on the play and had no trouble completing the three-point play to make it 33-13.

The Tanzanians also managed to put some points on the board, with guard Mohamed Mwenda firing with accuracy twice from three-point range. The Burundian club went to the third quarter in the ascendency (40-22).

The home side seemed to have found some fluidity in offence in the third quarter. Tyrone Leopald managed four points, while Fadhili Chuma scored a bucket from a flowing passing exchange with Alinan Musongole. Baraka Athumani made a baseline drive for a scoop shot, but Urunani remained on top (47-32) in the encounter at the five-minute mark.

Urunani closed out the quarter 53-36.

By the final quarter, Urunani were the dominant team in the match and were 20 points up (61-41) four minutes into the game. The experienced Burundian club were better in all facets of the game and were worthy of their 25-point victory at the end.

Ndikumana was happy with his performance and paid tribute to his teammates for helping to facilitate his 18-point performance.

"I feel good about my contribution. I thank my team, we were all focused on the game and everyone gave their best," said Ndikumana, whose team face will City Oilers on Saturday.

While the Oilers are Ndikumana's former team, he feels there are no personal feelings as he has a job to do on the day.

"They will be ready for us and we also have the same attitude and for me personally I am going to play my normal game," said Ndikumana.

OILERS PROVE TOO MUCH FOR MATERO MAGIC

In the night's final game, Uganda's City Oilers steamrolled past Zambia's Matero Magic 90-51.

American player Vashon Roebuck led the scoring with 26 points, while Sudanese centre Maker Maker (14) and shooting guard Tony Drileba (13) contributed to the winning effort of the Oilers.

Tony Drileba scored 11 first-quarter points. The shooting guard made two three-pointers and scored two field goals and a solitary free throw against the Zambians.

The Southern Africans, who arrived on the evening of the game, showed no tired legs and tied the game 19-19 with a Jaylen Leroy three at the end of the first quarter.

By the fifth minute of the second quarter, with the score at 31-23, Matero's spirited challenge looked to have run out of steam. The Oilers asserted themselves, with Sudanese big man Maker Mer use of his height advantage. Mer scored 10 points in the second quarter as the Oilers finished the first half with a 43-28 lead.

The Oilers found their stride in the third quarter against the jaded Zambians, who managed a solitary point. The Ugandans went on a 10-point run and led the game 53-29 at the five-minute mark of the quarter.

Roebuck, who had three points in the first half, had a 20-point third quarter as the Oilers ended the game as a contest with a 67-38 lead going into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter saw the Oilers, who put in a polished performance in the last three quarters, coast to a 36-point victory.

FIBA