The Lady Jaguars are looking to learn from their 2026 WNBL Finals defeat to UCU Lady Canons, with Mambo Maimuna identifying leadership on the court as one of the areas the team must improve ahead of next season.

“I don’t remember a game in the finals where we had a player rally us back into the game when things were bad.”

It has been two months since the Kira Lady Jaguars last took to the basketball court, with their most recent outing coming in the 2026 Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) Finals against the UCU Lady Canons. The series ended in a 4–1 defeat for the Jaguars, who fell short of lifting their maiden league championship.

Despite the disappointment, the finals campaign offered valuable lessons for a team that continues to pursue its first WNBL title. With the new season expected to tip off early next year, the focus is already shifting towards identifying areas of improvement and building a stronger team.

Speaking to NBS Sport yesterday, shooting guard Brenda Kayaga and Mambo Maimuna reflected on the season, the lessons they took from the campaign, and what the team must do differently to improve its chances of winning a championship.

For Maimuna, one area stands out: leadership.

“Being a leader on court is one of the things I intend to work on going into next season. Individually, leadership is one of the areas I feel I need to grow as a player,” Maimuna said.

Leadership Under Pressure

The Lady Jaguars are not short of experience. The roster features players who have competed at the highest level of the domestic game, including veterans who understand what it takes to win championships and navigate high-pressure situations.

However, experience alone does not always translate into leadership when a team is struggling. In the heat of a finals series, leadership can mean taking responsibility for a possession, encouraging teammates after a mistake, making the right decisions under pressure, or stepping up when the opposition begins to take control.

Against a disciplined and aggressive UCU Lady Canons side, those moments proved particularly important.

Maimuna believes the Jaguars lacked the kind of on-court leadership that could have helped the team regain its composure and momentum when things were not going their way.

Her reflection points to a broader challenge for the team: leadership cannot rest on the shoulders of one or two individuals. Every player must be willing to take responsibility and contribute to the team’s response when adversity strikes.

Whether through communication, defensive intensity, timely scoring or simply keeping teammates focused, players must be ready to step up when the situation demands it.

Everyone Has a Role to Play

While Maimuna has identified personal leadership as an area she wants to develop, the responsibility extends beyond individual improvement. The Jaguars will need a collective effort if they are to take the next step in their championship pursuit.

Having multiple leaders on the court can help a team remain organised, particularly when its game plan is disrupted. It also allows players to support one another rather than relying on a single voice to provide direction during difficult stretches.

For the Lady Jaguars, the task will be to turn the experience of losing the finals into meaningful growth. That means developing stronger communication, building confidence in pressure situations and ensuring that every player understands the importance of stepping up when the team needs it most.

The 2026 finals may not have ended with the championship the Jaguars wanted, but the experience has given the team a clearer picture of what it needs to improve.