JT Jaguars 54–59 UCU Canons
By Michael Ainomugisha
The UCU Canons wrapped up their first round of the 2025 National Basketball League in style, grinding out a 59–54 victory over the JT Jaguars in a tense encounter played under the lights at YMCA Wandegeya on Wednesday, May 21.
The win marked UCU’s seventh in 11 games, bringing them level on points with both JT Jaguars and Kampala Rockets as the league heads into the mid-season break. More importantly, it capped off a strong recovery by the Mukono-based side, who lost three of their first four games of the season.
It wasn’t a smooth ride. The Mukono side found themselves trailing 18–14 after the first quarter as the Jaguars came out aggressive. However, UCU responded with defensive adjustments and better offensive execution in the second period to edge ahead 32–31 at halftime.
The second half was evenly contested, with both teams struggling to build separation. In the dying minutes, the Jaguars had narrowed the deficit to just one point, but UCU’s captain Joel Kayiira held his nerve. He sank two crucial free throws to extend the lead before the Canons added two more points to put the game to bed.
Kayiira was the heartbeat of UCU’s effort, leading by example with 19 points and 13 rebounds, his third double-double of the season. He was the only Canon to reach double digits in scoring, with forward Alier Pech Lier Jongroor supporting well, pulling down 10 rebounds and contributing 8 points.
On the other side, JT’s Ian Lubwama and Mark Were kept their team in the hunt with 18 and 14 points, respectively, but their efforts fell just short.
