DAR ES SALAAM (Tanzania) - Ugandan international Peter Obleng as the star of the show as Namuwongo Blazers got back to winning ways, obliterating Comoros' Djabal 132-58 to advance to the Elite 16.
The three-team Group D decider saw the Ugandan side join undefeated Dar City in qualifying for the final qualifying stage of the Road to BAL 2026, scheduled tentatively for November.
Blazers become the second Ugandan side to qualify for this phase, after City Oilers, who have dominated the last nine seasons of the national league. Under former Oilers player- turned coach Tony Dribela, Blazers are keen to qualify for the premier African club competition now in its sixth edition.
TURNING POINT: The writing was on the wall from the get go as Djabal trailed 10-2 in the opening three minutes, Djoumoi Mohamed and Zakaria Zaher scoring for Djabal for 14-6. Joel Lukoji Banza scored thrice from deep, combining with Toluwalope Obasa who dropped 10 to see Blazers race to a 31-10 opening quarter.
Ismail Tadjir and Abdou Omar Mchangama may have tried to keep the Djabal ship afloat in the second quarter, but Obleng who had a quiet first quarter led Blazers onslaught, dropping 12 in a 34-14 show to lead by 39 at halftime.
Djabal played their best basketball in the third quarter, Zakaria Zaher getting them going with a mid-range jumper, scoring six in the opening four minutes. Djoumoi Mohamed added eight in the last half of the third to lead his side to a 23-21 show, but that left them with a 37-point mountain to climb in the final 10 minutes.
Obleng, however, stood tall scoring 21, including five treys, in a 48-11 final quarter performance to seal one of the biggest victories in the Group Phase.
HERO: Obleng scored seven of his eight attempts from range, converted all four chances on the charity stripe while going 7-of-15 inside for 39 points, adding four assists and as many steals and three rebounds for 41 in efficiency rating.
STATS DON'T LIE: Six other players scored in double digits but the side's three-point shooting (19-of-31) carried them through to the massive victory. The Ugandan side, expectedly dominated the paint (58-20), a 91-27 contribution off the bench, and 27-8 on fast breaks. Off their 15 offensive rebounds, Blazers scored 24 while restricting Djabal to nine off 11.
BOTTOM LINE: Group D winners Dar City and Namuwongo Blazers now turn their focus to the Elite 16 where competition gets tougher as teams battle for places in the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) intensifies.
Blazers, who are through to the national playoff final and will be fighting for the Ugandan title against defending champions Oilers, before the Elite 16, hope to walk a similar path as the latter. Oilers have played in the BAL Conferences, but have not broken the playoff jinx, can Blazers go the distance?
FIBA