UCU 54 – 46 Stormers 

By Michael Ainomugisha

After a chaotic week that saw them forfeit a match due to a delayed arrival, the UCU Lady Canons returned to winning ways with a determined 54-46 triumph over the Magic Stormers in the National Basketball League (NBL) on 18th April at Lugogo Indoor Arena.

Earlier in the week, the Lady Canons were forced to forfeit their fixture against Angels Basketball Club after failing to arrive on time at Abja Park. The delay was attributed to heavy traffic along Naalya, Seeta, and Mukono Road. The administrative setback served as a wake-up call, and the response was immediate.

On court, the Lady Canons started slowly, trailing 11-7 at the end of the first quarter. However, they flipped the script in the second, dominating with a 20-10 run to take the lead at half-time. The third quarter was another tight contest, edged 12-8 by the Stormers, but UCU responded in style, closing the match with a strong 19-13 final quarter to secure the win.

Martina Anyago led the scoring for UCU with 14 points and four rebounds, while captain Hajjarah Najjuko added 10 points. Sylvia Nantongo was again a key presence in the paint, finishing with nine points and 11 rebounds.

The fixture also saw the debut of rookie point guard Christa Ciella Igiraneza, who joined fellow new additions Zoe Atek, Sarah Namale, Asacha Mariam, and Christine Saima, who were handed debuts in previous fixtures. The five were all recently added to Lady Canons’ roster for the 2025 NBL season.

The Lady Canons will return to action on Monday, 21st April, against newly promoted Nkumba Lady Marines at YMCA Wandegeya, with tip-off scheduled for 12:00 pm. Meanwhile, the UCU Canons will take to the court today (19th April) as they host Sommet Basketball Club at the UCU courts in Mukono.