We knew UCU would come into Game 1 of the WNBL Finals strong and aggressive. What we didn’t expect was just how difficult the night would become for the Lady Jaguars.
UCU walked away with a 50–35 victory, leading from start to finish and leaving the Jaguars struggling to find any rhythm on a night where almost nothing seemed to go their way.
For a team that has consistently shown its firepower this season, 35 points was a shocking return to the team and most importantly the crowd that filled the arena.
The starting five contributed just 14 points between them, with Brenda Kayaga and Sarah Ageno scoring 7 points apiece. It was the bench that provided most of the production, led by Sandra Wangeshi’s 10 points and Mary Priscilla’s 6.
But the biggest problem was shooting, baskets couldn’t be converted. UCU pressurized on the defense which made us run down the shot clock forcing us to shoot under pressure or turn the ball over.
The Jaguars endured a nightmare night from beyond the arc, attempting more than 33 three-pointers but converting just two. UCU, meanwhile, made six threes from 27 attempts and made the Jaguars pay for every missed opportunity.
Sylvia Nakituuka led UCU with 15 points, while Matrina Anyango added 13.
The opening minutes immediately set the tone, UCU came flying out with a 7–0 run, leaving the Jaguars scoreless for nearly five minutes. Sarah Ageno finally stopped the bleeding with a driving layup before Brenda Kayaga followed with a two-point shot.
The Lady Jaguars were 0–9 from the three-point arc, while UCU was 1–6.
That was virtually all the Jaguars could muster in the opening period as UCU took a 10–4 lead.
The slow onslaught continued into the second period. UCU attacked relentlessly, particularly in the paint, while the Jaguars struggled to establish any offensive rhythm. The bench tried to spark a comeback, with Sandra Wangeshi providing some much-needed energy and Mary Priscilla bringing it to a 1 point difference, but UCU kept running away with the lead and sparking runs to keep their offense alive.
Wangeshi’s handles and gameplay gave the fans something to cheer about, but UCU remained composed and continued to control the game.
The Lady Canons won the quarter and went into halftime with a 27–16 lead.
The second half brought more of the same.
The Jaguars showed flashes of life but could never sustain a run strong enough to threaten UCU’s advantage. With the lead firmly in their hands, the Lady Canons simply maintained the distance while the Jaguars continued to struggle offensively.
By the final buzzer, the scoreboard read UCU 50–35 Lady Jaguars. It was a brutally difficult night for the Jaguars and their lowest-scoring outing of the season, if not ever.
But the series is far from over. The Lady Jaguars now have two days to regroup, reset and find answers before Game 2 on Saturday in Hoima, where they will share the same venue with the men’s Game 7 of the finals.