By Johnson Akilis Adupa | Senior Writer

May 26, 2025 | 7:52 PM EAT

Kira – After bowing out of round one in a tightly contested game against the UCU Canons, the JT Black Jaguars spent Friday night regrouping and reflecting. They returned to Kira with renewed focus and an elevated mindset, ready to attack round two with urgency and belief.

Were Mark, one of five Jaguars who addressed the media during the mid-season review, offered a calm and confident take on the recent setbacks.

“We lost our last two games, but that won’t define us as Jaguars,” Were said. “Even God tells us not to worry about the future. We’re fueled up for round two.”

When asked if the two-game losses was a cause for concern, Mark remained steadfast. “I’m not worried. I know my teammates, I know myself. We shall ball hard come round 2. It’s about playing the right way, fighting hard—regardless of results—but we’ll win.”

The Jaguars closed round one with a 7–4 record, finishing third in the standings.

Shooting guard Kevin Moru gave an honest assessment of the team’s position.

“According to the table, we landed in third place—which wasn’t our target, but it was our goal for the season,” Kevin shared. “We were aiming for a second-place finish by all means, but it didn’t go as planned. Still, sitting in third is good. We stay hungry for a spot at the top and will keep fighting in the second leg.”

Point guard Duncan Ian also took accountability for his own performance. “Personally, I averaged an unacceptable number of turnovers. As a ball handler playing nearly 30 minutes a game, I need to take better care of the ball and improve my decision-making.”

Duncan reflected on missed free throws and key moments that slipped away. “It’s on me. I’ve got to do better for my team.” Despite this, Duncan has been one of the most impactful guards in the league—and if he continues this trajectory, his name belongs in the conversation for best point guard.

“We’re taking it one game at a time,” he added. “We have a goal, and we need to achieve it—at all costs.”

Duncan Lubwama 📸

Elijah Adakun, never one to shy away from honesty, highlighted the adversity the team faced in round one.

“We’re not making excuses, but a lot of our losses had context,” Elijah explained. “Kevin Moru was struggling to adjust early in the season, and just when he started finding his rhythm, he got into an accident. He missed critical games, including against Sommet and UCU—a massive blow to our already thin bench.”

Elijah also cited the match against the Victoria Crocs, where the Jaguars had only two players on the bench. Mark went down with an injury mid-game, and Kasasa suffered a minor accident. “That game got away from us, but not because we lacked fight.”

Despite the hurdles, Elijah believes in the group. “We’ve made serious progress. We’re playing better than last season. We’ve now faced every team—we know what it takes. We’ve got the right people to get the job done. Now we need to go and get those wins.”

Looking Ahead:

Round two begins Friday, May 30, and the Jaguars face no easy welcome back—taking on the unbeaten Namuwongo Blazers in a high-stakes matchup. With fire in their hearts and lessons learned from round one, the Black Jaguars are ready for round 2.