Wednesday, March 6
•Magic Stormers 52-75 UCU Lady Canons
•Power 70-75 JT Jaguars
JT Jaguars broke their three-game losing streak with a hard-fought 75-70 win against short-handed Power on Wednesday in a thrilling National Basketball League showdown at the Lugogo Indoor Arena.
After successive defeats to UCU Canons, Our Saviour, and Nam Blazers, the Jaguars entered the game determined to turn their luck around.
Despite trailing for most of the game, they stayed within striking distance and entered the final quarter down by just a point.
With a powerful fourth-quarter surge, highlighted by Benjamin Shango’s back-to-back crucial threes, the Jaguars took control of the game.
Although Power attempted to mount a comeback, the Jaguars held their ground, ultimately sealing the victory with Fadhil Chuma’s decisive free throws in the closing seconds after Power had fumbled a chance to tie the game with a would-be three-point play.
Power, despite naming seven players, struggled with fatigue as their rotation narrowed to only six, leaving key players exhausted.
Lemaniku Reagan benched Elvis Ssentogo for five minutes while Nigeria Christopher Adoghe was the unitilised player on the bench, highlighting Power’s endurance challenges, culminating in a collapse in the final quarter.
Shango led the Jaguars’ charge with a double-double performance of 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Ian Lubwama and Abrahat Dut added crucial points with 12 and 11 respectively.
Chuma’s all-around contribution of 8 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists proved pivotal in securing the win for the Jaguars.
Power had four players scoring in double digits, including Samad Imran (21 points), Isaac Afidra (17 points), Elvis Ssentongo (14 points), and Philip Ameny (10 points).
However, they couldn’t avoid a third defeat in five games, following losses to UCU Canons and City Oilers earlier in the season.
