Beating the Rangers is now just fun (laughing emoji) By A.A. Johnson | June 26, 2025, 4:00 PM

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1. Domination

The Lady Jaguars have been in a strange cycle lately—either playing poorly against weaker teams or absolutely blowing out their opponents. This time, they chose the latter. It looked like a repeat of how they dismantled the UPDF L T’ Hacks. The Jaguars cruised to an 85-54 win, a commanding 31-point blowout.

This game was over after the third quarter when the Lady Jaguars outscored the Rangers 22-15. There was a well-balanced scoring effort, with four Jaguars finishing in double figures. They shot 43% (34-79) from the field.

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2. Three-Point Shooting Returned

The Lady Jaguars’ long-range shooting has been inconsistent all season, but they finally caught fire from beyond the arc in this one. The team hit 9 of 21 threes, good for 43%. The ball movement and shot selection were sharp.

One of the highlights came when Shakira collapsed the Rangers’ defense on a drive, then kicked it out to Aziida Lubega. Aziida stared down her defender, gave a slight pump fake, and drilled the shot.

Another standout play was when Ines Kanyamuneza threw a bad pass, which Mercy Batamuliza intercepted. She passed to Rhoda Nagitta, who faked her defender, took a side-step, and drained a three.

And then Aziida caught fire hitting three straight from deep. Once we heat up, our three-point game is unstoppable. Hats off to Aziida.

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3. The Jaguars’ Deal with the Devil

Everyone knew KIU would rely heavily on their sharpshooter, Ines Kanyamuneza. Early on, she was hitting clutch threes and punishing the Jaguars’ defense. But Coach Sudi made a bold strategic choice: prioritize protecting the paint and allow anyone but Ines to take the three.

The gamble paid off. Ines was locked down and eventually subbed out. The Rangers’ offense sputtered without her. It was a calculated risk—and it worked.

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4. Mercy Batamuliza’s Quick Start

Mercy had a monster game—22 points, 20 rebounds, 6 steals, and 3 assists. She shot 50% from the field and went 6/8 at the line.

Coach Sudi’s strategy to double-team Sharon Kirabo every time she posted up gave Mercy the room she needed to shine. This was her season-high in points, and she’s clearly trending upward. Her basketball IQ and feel for the game are improving rapidly, people should take notice.

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5. Frustration

The Lady Jaguars turned the ball over only 10 times, and KIU scored just six points off those. Meanwhile, the Jaguars forced 19 turnovers and converted them into 20 points. KIU looked lost and frustrated especially by the second quarter, when the game felt all but decided.

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6. Clamps

Defense was the name of the game. The Jaguars held KIU to 32% shooting overall and a cold 15% from three. They put the clamps on Ines, holding her to just 8 points and 2-for-7 from deep. The defensive effort was relentless and locked in.

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7. Sarah Out

We miss Sarah on the court, but technically, her absence hasn’t slowed us down. The team has been executing well without her. She’s still dealing with an injury that makes her status questionable, but we’re hopeful to see her back next week.

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8. Balanced Offense

The Lady Jaguars didn’t rely on just one scorer. Four players hit double digits, and the offense looked smooth and cohesive. Ball movement, patience, and finding the open player made this one of the best team performances of the season. Many players are now equating the defensive energy to offense which is going to make the team unstoppable 

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9. Coach Sudi’s Adjustments

The decision to trap Kirabo, to rotate defenders on Ines, and to run hard in transition, these were all brilliant adjustments from Coach Sudi. He read the Rangers’ game plan like a book and countered everything they tried. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to predict where the points will come from.

10. Beating the Rangers Is Just Fun

The rivalry with KIU has existed since the Lady Jaguars joined the WNBL. We broke their hold over us 10 months ago—and now, beating them feels good. Every player got minutes, and the energy was sweeet. Honestly, I hope we meet them again in the playoffs. Because every chance we get to beat them—especially like this—is a celebration. This is no longer the old narrative. The Lady Jaguars are no longer the victims.