UCU 58-56 Dolphins
(Lady Canons leads 2-0.)
By Michael Ainomugisha
In a game played at Lugogo on Friday, 30th August. UCU Lady Canons edged the JKL Lady Dolphins 58-56 in a tense game two of the National Basketball League finals at Lugogo Indoor Arena, extending their series lead to 2-0 in the best-of-seven showdown.
The game saw UCU overcome a sluggish start, where they trailed 24-12 at the end of the first quarter. However, the Lady Canons rallied in the second half, outscoring JKL 18-11 in the third quarter and maintaining their momentum in the fourth on 13-8 points to secure a narrow victory.
Tracy Namugosa led the scoring for UCU with 17 points and added 4 rebounds. Bridget Aber was dominant on the boards, pulling down 19 rebounds alongside her 12 points, while Sylvia Nantogo contributed 10 rebounds, effectively limiting JKL’s Jane Asinde.
For the Lady Dolphins, Ekone Brenda was the standout performer, scoring 23 points—21 of which came in the first half. Jane Asinde added 12 points, but JKL’s offence struggled, with only five players contributing to the scoreboard. Despite forcing UCU into 30 turnovers, JKL was outrebounded 63-37, a crucial factor that tipped the game in UCU’s favour.
With this win, the Lady Canons are just two games away from clinching the championship, while the Dolphins face a must-win situation in Game Three on Sunday to keep their title defence hopes alive.
In another game, Petty Parrish’s City Oilers defeated the KIU Titans 70-64, establishing a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven. The loss puts KIU down 2-0 in the series. They will now face a must-win situation in Game 3 on Sunday, with a loss setting the stage for a sweep.