The Lady Jaguars will be tested tonight in the game against the KCCA Leopards at 7:00 PM at YMCA Wandegeya.
The Leopards have had every reason to circle this fixture on the calendar since they suffered a humiliating 30-plus point blowout in Round One.
Revenge will undoubtedly be on their minds tonight, and they come into the game with confidence after recently defeating the Magic Stormers — the same side that escaped with a narrow two-point victory over the Lady Jaguars in their previous outing.
But perhaps the biggest storyline tonight is not revenge, but the Jaguars’ resilience.
The Lady Jaguars will walk into this battle severely short-handed. The team will miss its best perimeter defender, Mercy Batamuliza, who is currently out of the country.
Point guard Rhoda is also ruled out for the game.
Sharpshooter Brenda Kayaga — who once exploded for a career-high 30 points against the Leopards — remains sidelined with a left-hand fracture.
Aber Bridget has missed most of the season through injury after suffering a right ankle dislocation in that same first-round clash against KCCA, while Amy Chan is also unavailable due to injury.
That leaves the Lady Jaguars with an extremely thin rotation and very little room for error.
Yet sometimes adversity creates the most dangerous teams.
Despite the absences, the Lady Jaguars still possess enough grit to pull off a victory tonight. If anything, being short-handed could ignite an even greater sense of urgency and togetherness within the squad. With nothing to lose, expect them to play with intensity from the opening tip.
A huge responsibility will fall on Annet Among, who must dominate the boards while staying disciplined defensively and avoiding foul trouble. Azzida and Captain Sarah will need to battle relentlessly in the paint to neutralize KCCA’s physical advantage inside.
Offensively, the Jaguars must attack with confidence and purpose. Mary Priscilla will be expected to deliver when it matters most, while Shakira must embrace the aggressor role and set the tone offensively, and that’s how the Jaguars will win the game.
See you at dusk.