JKL 50 – 65 UCU
By Michael Ainomugisha
UCU Lady Canons kept their championship hopes alive with a well-deserved 65-50 victory over JKL Lady Dolphins in the National Basketball League playoffs at Lugogo Indoor Arena on Friday, 10 October 2025.
The Lady Canons came into the game with one life left in the bag, knowing a loss would end their finals dream. The Mukono-based side put up a spirited defensive display that kept the defending champions quiet throughout the game.
Sylvia Nantongo opened the scoring for UCU, but the Lady Dolphins quickly found their rhythm, building a 10-point lead (20-10) at the end of the first quarter, largely thanks to Hope Akello’s two three-point shots.
However, UCU regrouped impressively in the second period, limiting JKL to only five points while scoring 20 themselves to take a 30-25 lead into the halftime break.
After the restart, the Lady Canons maintained their composure, extending their lead to seven points (43-36) by the end of the third quarter. Hajara Najjuko’s late three-pointer sealed the victory as UCU pulled away to win by 15 points and force a decisive Game Five in the best-of-five semi-final series.
Martina Anyango was dominant with 17 points and 16 rebounds, while Sylvia Nakituuka added 11 points and Shillah Lamunu contributed 10 points. For JKL, only Hope Akello reached double figures, finishing with 15 points.
After the game, Coach Nicholas Natuhereza praised his players for their resilience and discipline under pressure:
“I like the majority who came out here today; they knew it was do-or-die and had to take care of business. They stayed level-headed after a tough start and made winning plays. We managed to bounce back and finish strong. I just hope we stay humble but hungry for the next one,” Natuhereza said.
“The plan now is to finish the job on Sunday. It won’t be easy, we’re playing a very good, experienced team, but we’ll be ready. It was hard in the beginning because they were leading, but we kept our composure, confidence, and patience, and that’s how we managed to win.”
Guard Sylvia Nakituuka, who was instrumental in UCU’s comeback, emphasised the team’s renewed composure and focus heading into the decider;
“We’re grateful for the win, but it’s not yet done. Right now, it’s 0-0 again; if we don’t win on Sunday, we’re off. So we need to do even better,” she said.
“Coach told us to stay composed and not rush when we’re leading. You need to take pride in that lead. If you rush, you go at the defender’s pace, and you lose it. So we kept calm, and that helped us. Personally, I’m treating Game Five as a completely new game; it’s do-or-die. We’ll go back home, prepare more, come back confident, and give it everything.”
The decisive Game Five will be played on Sunday, 12 October 2025, at Lugogo Indoor Arena, with the winner advancing to the National Basketball League Finals.
