Sixth championship for legacy-chasing Okall as he bags Burundian league title

Reversing the tide, after all, is something one Ariel Okall knows how to do best.

After coming close to ending an incredible seven year City Oilers chokehold on the Ugandan Basketball League title late last year - which him and his Namuwongo Blazers side stumbled on a decisive Game Seven - the six foot nine figure can now stand on top, less than a year later, after engineering his side - Dynamo BBC - to a groundbreaking victory over the perennial favorites and defending champions, Urunani.

The win, this time, came in the fashion of a Friday night 70-50 victory in Game 6, and one that for the Kenyan (apart from the blasphemous six rings comparison with the legendary Michael Jordan), meant that he had just clinched his sixth club championship in four countries.

For Dynamo, a fourth Viva Basketball League title and the first since 2018.

In the process, a frenzy Terrain Department Ground crowd witnessed 2022 and 16-time national champs Urunani crumble, the change of guard visible with Israel Otobo being named as the final's series Most Valuable Player.

“This one has been the hardest,” an ecstatic Okall told Mozzart Sport after the win. “It's never easy to win a final series but we did it! Dethroned the champs. Can’t thank the players and the team enough for this. All in the grind.”

Following a rout against Remesha in the preceding playoffs round, Dynamo’s final series began on a wrong note, as the team fell to a 76-73 loss in Game 1, before stringing in a run of three straight wins to take a 3-1 lead.

Game 5 saw Urunani recover with a 73-54 win, all leading up to the Game 6 decider.

“This was a combination of the vision this team had from the get-go,” Okall - who initially joined the Burundian side on a short three months contract in May said. “We have coaches who put us in a position to succeed and with all the pieces in place, winning was possible.”

To the previous stat, Okall can now boast one his latest silverware, which will link up with the rest that include: two-time Kenya Basketball Federation championships with Kenya Ports Authority, two league championships with Tanzanian club Don Bosco Savio and a league triumph with Oman club Al Bashaer.

What another title would mean for Ariel Okal

His highlight performance of the final came in Game 2, when the Sultan Cup champion racked in 25 points (five three-pointers made), six rebounds and four assists in a 94-66 win.

The Kenyan international's previous accolade in the last year was the best center cum forward title for his outstanding performance in the 2022-2023 Oman Basketball League season