The Lady Jaguars will now strive to get one win closer to the trophy in Game 2 at the MTN Arena this Sunday at 4 PM. Snr. Writer | Oct 25 | 9:16

At last, the WNBL Finals have finally arrived, and the Lady Jaguars wasted no time putting the JKL Dolphins on notice. Racking up a 6-point lead in the first half, the Lady Jaguars withstood a run from the Dolphins in the third quarter to coast to a commanding 17-point win and take a 1-0 lead in their return to the Finals, 69-52.

Sandra Wangeshi was the best player on the court for the Lady Jaguars tonight. She led the team in scoring with 15 points despite conservative shot volume (6-of-15 shooting), and she put in serious work defensively, snagging three steals and swatting three shots. Shakira Nanvubya was triumphant, scoring 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Sarah Agena and Brenda Kayaga both added 10 points each to the tally. Then there was Rhoda — she made 5 points, an average number, but her impact on the game was the most phenomenal I had ever seen. She put in serious work defensively, snagging one steal, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Her impact and physicality were totally unmatched by the Dolphins.

Predictably, Ekone Brenda led the JKL Dolphins in scoring with 16 points. The Lady Jaguars clamped down on her playmaking opportunities. Akello, too, was their hope in the paint, but Sarah and Mercy had no mercy there — they battled her relentlessly, limiting her to just 12 points on 5-of-18 shooting. No other Dolphin besides Evelyn (5 points) made much of a mark.

The game began hot, with the Lady Jaguars thriving in the midrange and beyond the arc, while the Dolphins opened the game relatively cold, missing several threes and shots inside the paint. Sandra Wangeshi was on fire early with 8 points in the first 6 minutes, including two huge 3-pointers that set the tone. The Lady Jaguars led by 9 after the first quarter, 25-16.

Sandra hit the bench to open the second quarter, but the Lady Jaguars continued to roll with Rhoda and Brenda leading the charge. If Rhoda gave the orders, Brenda was the executioner. Brenda then went on a lone 7-2 run, all assisted by Rhoda. On defense, the focus was on communication and switching on screens to calm Evelyn down from the 3-point line. In fact, the entire Dolphins team was limited to just four 3-pointers throughout the game. The Dolphins tried to create mismatches by setting up Akello against smaller defenders, which worked for a stretch. The two teams went into halftime with the Lady Jaguars holding a 6-point lead, 37-31.

Sandra Wangeshi checked back in for the second half, and the Lady Jaguars once again found another gear. The quarter was relatively basket-for-basket as the Dolphins, led by Brenda and Akello, tried to go to work. But the Lady Jaguars — collectively, and especially Sandra — shut them down. The Lady Jaguars extended their lead by 8 entering the fourth quarter.

Tasked with carrying their lead through to the finish line, the Lady Jaguars answered the bell. The Dolphins made no meaningful inroads toward a comeback in the fourth quarter, with the Lady Jaguars forging ahead by as much as 19 points while the Dolphins only managed 10. Just like that, the Dolphins’ coach pulled his starters early, and both teams looked ahead to Game 2 as the clock ticked down in regulation.

Next up, the Lady Jaguars will strive to get one win closer to the trophy in Game 2 at the MTN Arena this Sunday at 4 PM.