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With Flavia Oketcho, Ritah Imanishimwe, Hope Akello, Brenda Ekone and Evelyne Nakiyinji all still part of the team, JKL have the personnel to fight for the championship.
The last three seasons have had JKL Lady Dolphins and UCU Lady Canons as the best two teams in the women’s National Basketball League.
And indeed, the two have faced off in the finals since 2018.
Last year’s finals drew the biggest numbers to the Lugogo Indoor Stadium and lived up to the billing, decided in a tightly-contested Game Seven in October.
Nicholas Natuhereza’s Lady Canons pretty much defied the odds against a tough JKL side that ended the regular season unbeaten.
In fact, the first loss for Henry Malinga’s side came in Game Three of the finals. The two-time champions were looking to make it 3-0 in the series, but UCU bounced back to make it 2-1.
And after responding to that loss by winning Game Four to close in on a third-straight championship with a 3-1 lead, JKL collapsed and surrendered it to the Lady Canons.
Victories in Games Five and Six forced a Game Seven, and there, the Lady Canons, led by eventual MVP Rose Akon and Millicent Otieno, took complete control to beat JKL 75-67 and land their eighth league title.
Revenge time
The two sides will now face off on Game Day One of the 2023 basketball season at Lugogo Sunday evening.
The Lady Dolphins, who lost Stella Oyella during the finals last year, have added three key pieces to an already dominant side and will be out for revenge.
Agatha Kamwada played a pivotal role for the Lady Canons in the run to the title but will now turn her guns against them after joining JKL.
Leticia Awor and Becky Longom are the other additions from KCCA.
With Flavia Oketcho, Ritah Imanishimwe, Hope Akello, Brenda Ekone and Evelyne Nakiyinji all still part of the team, JKL have the personnel to fight for the championship.
UCU, on the other side, is without Akon, who transferred to Morocco at the end of the last season.
But with players like Shakirah Nanvubya and Bridget Aber still in the squad, the Lady Canons will be out to defend their crown.
The women’s top division is expected to be much more competitive this season, with teams like JT Lady Jaguars and KIU Rangers assembling squads capable of pushing the top two sides.
Magic Stormers and Miracle Eaglets will tip off the new basketball season Sunday morning at Lugogo.
National Basketball League
Sunday fixtures (Lugogo)
Magic Stormers vs. Miracle Eaglets -10am
Power vs. Rezlife -12pm
Ndejje vs. KCCA -2pm
UCU vs. JKL -4pm
KIU Titans vs. City Oilers -6pm
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