Friday, April 12
*JT Lady Jaguars Vs JKL Lady Dolphins – 7pm
*Dmark Power Vs KIU Titans – 9pm
JKL Lady Dolphins will be aiming to finish the first round on a high note when they face off against the JT Lady Jaguars in the National Basketball League this Friday at Lugogo.
This match marks the conclusion of the Women’s Division first round, with the second round scheduled to commence on April 19.
The defending champions have secured nine wins and suffered a single loss, which occurred against last year’s finalists, the KIU Rangers.
A victory in their upcoming match on Friday would see JKL conclude the first round at the top of the table, as no other team has achieved ten wins.
Currently, they hold the fourth position on the standings.
The top three spots on the table are held by KCCA, UCU Lady Canons, and KIU Rangers in that order, each with nine wins and two losses.
On the other hand, the JT team sits in sixth place, illustrating the intense competition within the Women’s division.
In the previous season, the JKL Lady Dolphins defeated the JT Lady Jaguars 65-59 in the first round but lost 52-53 in a close second round game.
Significant changes have occurred since then, especially for the JT team, with key players like Zainah Lokwameri and Maureen Amoding departing at the end of the season.
The addition of Mercy Batamuliza from Kampala University, who is averaging 8 points and 13 rebounds, has been notable.
However, even with Sarah Ageno and the likes of Rhoda Naggita, JT still remains low in terms of quality as compared to JKL’s strong roster.
The JT Lady Jaguars are currently on a five-game winning streak, including a 56-42 victory over the Miracle Ravens. Nevertheless, their upcoming match against JKL presents a formidable challenge.
In their recent game against the UPDF Lady Tomahawks, JKL initially struggled to find rhythm but eventually proved their strength in the fourth quarter.
The Silent Rivalry
Until June 2021, the JKL basketball Franchise consisted of four teams, including the JKL Dolphins (Men) and JKL Lady Dolphins (Women) in NBL.
Alongside these two NBL teams were the JKL Junior Dolphins and JKL Junior Lady Dolphins, which participated in the Lower Divisions at the time.
In the same month, the Franchise’s President, Jeff Teya Nyagenya, resigned from his role, and he departed with the two teams competing in the Lower Divisions. The Technical Director, Fredricks ‘Freedom’ Owora, retained oversight of the two NBL teams.
Following Nyagenya’s departure, he renamed the two teams as JT Jaguars (Men) and JT Lady Jaguars (Women).
The JT Lady Jaguars went on to achieve an unbeaten season in Division One, securing an NBL Women promotion two seasons ago.
Likewise, the JT Jaguars (Men) were promoted from Division Two to Division One and have since ascended to the top flight this season.
Subsequently, Freedom has sold the other Men’s side, JKL Dolphins, and has continued to manage the JKL Lady Dolphins team.
So, the meeting on Friday, is about two former sister teams.
