JKL Lady Dolphins have booked their place in the National Basketball League playoffs after defeating Nabisunsa in their penultimate regular-season game on Wednesday, wrapping up qualification in a campaign that has tested their consistency.
The game was marked by an emotional boost for the defending champions as Brenda Ekon returned to action for the first time since March, having missed the entire second round following a violent attack. Her comeback added stability and morale to the squad at a crucial stage of the season.
On the court, Tamasha Nsubuga led the scoring with 24 points, while Shadiah Nassanga added 13 and Ekon chipped in 11 as JKL did enough to stay in control and secure the win.
Nabisunsa, already relegated before tip-off, still showed fight through Keturah Joy Auma, who produced a game-high 22 points, and Martha Yikiru, who posted a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double. However, their efforts only delayed the inevitable.
JKL’s depth proved decisive, with the bench contributing 31 points to steady the team through rotations. However, their performance exposed areas of concern, including a rebounding deficit (58-51), poor perimeter shooting (2/14 from three), and 20 turnovers that could prove costly against stronger opposition.
The result becomes JKL’s 11th win of the season and keeps them in contention for an eighth-place finish ahead of their final regular-season clash against UCU Lady Canons on Friday.
If they hold that position, they will meet top-seeded JT Lady Jaguars in a demanding best-of-three quarterfinal series.
