- JT Lady Jaguars 35-50 UCU Lady Canons (Lady Canons lead series 1-0)
UCU Lady Canons made a loud statement in Game 1 of the National Basketball League (NBL) Finals, pulling off a commanding 50-35 victory over the JT Lady Jaguars on Wednesday evening at a packed Lugogo Indoor Arena.
The Lady Canons established control early, silencing the Jaguars with a swift 7-0 opening run.
Though the Lady Jaguars managed to respond with four straight points by attacking the paint after early struggles beyond the arc, both offenses soon stalled.
A gritty defensive standstill left the scoreboard untouched for over five minutes, allowing UCU to close the opening frame with a 10-4 advantage.
The Lady Jaguars found a spark in the second quarter through Nambogo, who sank three straight free throws and knocked down a long-range jumper to trim the deficit to a single point (13-12) with eight minutes remaining before halftime.
However, UCU’s Shillah Lamunu quickly took charge of the tempo. Pulling the strings from the backcourt, Lamunu orchestrated a decisive surge that pushed the Lady Canons into a comfortable 27-16 lead at the main break.
UCU’s relentless defense continued to stifle the Jaguars coming out of halftime, limiting them to just nine points in the third period and extending the margin to 37-25 heading into the final stanza.
Sylvia Nakituuka led all scorers with 15 points, while Matrina Anyango delivered a double-double performance, dropping 13 points and pulling down 11 rebounds to anchor UCU’s interior presence.
Sandra Wangeshi was the lone player in double digits with 10 points for the Lady Canons.
With Game 1 in the bag, UCU Lady Canons draw first blood in the series. The Lady Jaguars will have little time to regroup before the two rivals lock horns again for Game 2 this Friday at Lugogo.
