National Basketball League (Men) | Friday
- JT Jaguars 83-70 KCCA Panthers
Lugogo Indoor Arena was lit up with flair, grit, and a battle for bragging rights as JT Lady Jaguars stunned KCCA Panthers 83-70 in an entertaining National Basketball League encounter on Friday night.
In a game fueled by individual ambition and team pride, the Jaguars rose to the occasion, orchestrating a spectacular comeback that left the crowd on its feet and the Panthers in disbelief.
From the tip-off, it was clear both teams had something to prove. KCCA Panthers edged the first period 20-18, capped by Caesar Kizito’s flawless performance from the free-throw line. The early exchanges were tight, with neither side willing to blink first.
The Panthers seemed to be gaining momentum when Toussaint Mampuya drained a deep three that ignited their bench and widened their lead to six points heading into halftime.
The Jaguars, however, were only just warming up. In the third quarter, they offered more fireworks with the Panthers holding onto a narrow lead. Ian Lubwama silenced the home side with a buzzer-beater three-pointer, narrowing the gap to just seven (52-45) and shifting the energy in favour of the visitors.
Then came the fourth, JT Lady Jaguars’ quarter of redemption. Kevin Moru came alive when it mattered most. The guard rained down two clutch three-pointers, slicing through KCCA’s defense with elegance and power and finishing with a game-high 27 points.
He was well supported by Ian Lubwama who added 23 points while the ever-reliable Peter Sifuma bulldozed his way to a dominant double-double of 15 points and 22 rebounds.
Their chemistry and confidence overwhelmed KCCA, who struggled to contain the Jaguars’ offensive surge. The Panthers leaned heavily on Davis Assimwe’s offensive brilliance, his 29-point performance was a lone bright spark in an otherwise dim evening.
Emmanuel Odongkara chipped in 11 points, but the Panthers lacked the depth and composure needed to weather the Jaguars’ storm.
The final minutes were all Jaguars with precision ball movement, sharp shooting and tight defense, they outpaced and outclassed their opponents, closing the game with a commanding 13-point lead.
