National Basketball League | Playoffs
Friday, September 29, 2023
- UCU Lady Canons 48-60 JKL Dolphins
JKL Dolphins registered a 60-48 victory against UCU Lady Canons in the semifinals of the National Basketball League at the YMCA Court, Wandegeya on Friday.
The series is a repeat of last year’s finals. The two familiar sides staged a close contest right from onset until the fourth quarter when JKL pulled away.
After the first period, JKL Dolphins led the UCU Lady Canons by four points (20-16).
In the second quarter, the Mukono-based side looked much more improved imploring a full court press and leveled the score midway.
In the last minutes of the frame, UCU’s Azidah Nabayunga twisted her ankle and the Dolphins got room to edge ahead.
The two sides maintained the momentum at the four point gap (33-29) remained intact, as JKL kept ascending going into the long break.
Rita Imanishimwe got hot as she started to get balls dropping from outside to push the Dolphins further. But the gap reduced to two points (45-43).
The two-time league champions did everything tight in the last quarter of the game. The Lady Canons were suffocated scoring only five points as JKL Dolphins won by 12.
Imanishimwe led the scoring with 20 points, two rebounds and two assists. Brenda Ekone and Evelyn Nakiyingi added nine and eight points respectively.
On the other side, Shakira Nanvubya topped the scoring with 12 points while Nabayunga and Shillah Lamunu contributed 11 and seven respectively. Bridget Aber owned the paint pulling down 21 rebounds.
The two sides will meet again on Sunday October 1 in the second game of the best of five series.