JKL out to level the series against UCU Lady Canons: NBL Finals Game 2 Preview

The JKL Lady Dolphins aim to even the NBL Finals series against UCU Lady Canons in Game 2. Shakirah Nanvubya was their biggest problem and trying to stop her will be top of their agenda.

Avitus Ngabirano

August 30, 2024

3–5 minutes

Jkl Lady Dolphins, National Basketball League, NBL Finals 2024, UCU Lady Canons

After an almost comeback in the second half of game one, the JKL Lady Dolphins are looking to even the series against UCU Lady Canons in game 2 of the NBL Finals.

During the 2023 Finals, the Lady Dolphins found themselves in a similar position, having lost to the KIU Rangers in Game One. However, they leveled up and went on to win the next 4 games, closing the series out in Game 5.

Contrary to the KIU Rangers, the UCU Lady Canons are the league’s top winners with 8 titles, and many of the players in their squad are part of the team that defeated JKL during the 2022 Finals, having come from down 3-0 to win the series 4-3.

Game 2 comes as a very difficult game for both teams but the Lady Canons know it is an opportunity to tighten their grip on the Championship while JKL wants to calm the storms and take control.

Possible Tactical Moves

Defense on Shakirah Nanvubya

In game one, UCU’s Shakirah Nanvubya became a problem to the Lady Dolphins. She was on top of everything and that brief moment when she was feared injured, UCU made 2 turnovers from the ball handler and JKL scored 5 quick points to come to within 1 point.

The Lady Dolphins know that she is their biggest threat and they have to find a solution for her.

Flavia Oketcho and Ritah Imanishimwe are some of the best 1v1 defenders that the Lady Dolphins have but given the threat Ritah carries on offense, she looks like the perfect fit to take on the Nanvubya challenge.

She would aim to try and slow her down as much as possible and will possibly allow all the other players to fall in the right places, hence cutting off the biggest offensive threat for UCU.

No fast breaks

Brenda Ekone has been the biggest beneficiary of fast break points but the Lady Canons did well to counter her moves. Their recovery on defense was great and thus cut off those quick transition points.

As the game went on, Ekone started making a couple of forced attempts and that fell right in the hands of the Lady Canons’ plans as she missed the majority of them.

This is one of the areas that JKL needs to try and address. Having 2 people or 3 people rather than one on the quick transition could yield results but also a change in personnel might offer another perspective of the game.

Nonetheless, the Lady Dolphins have to sort that out because Coach Nick and his troops took care of that defensive assignment well.

3-point shooting

There was just a total of 11 3-point shots made in game one and this is fairly low compared to the expectations.

There was not much deliberate action to create for shooters and that explains the 21% 3P.

Ritah Imanishimwe showed some small signs of returning to her former self as she scored 3 of her 9 attempts while Shakirah, who had been mostly creating for others attempted 13 and and managed to sink 3.

The plethora of shooters that UCU has is a very big threat and whether they can be unlocked in game 2 remains a question.

Fouls

Game one was full of fouls and both teams suffered for. The most productive Lady Dolphins player, Jane Asinde sat for almost 18 minutes while the big men for UCU, Bridget Aber and Sylivia Nantongo played a combined 32 minutes due to their foul situation.

The aggression seen from game one may be reduced as the players may not want to put themselves in tough situations regarding fouls.

Statistics

JKL Lady Dolphins

Playoffs record 5-2

Previous Games

JKL Lady Dolphins 66:71 UCU Lady Canons

JKL Lady Dolphins 58:59 JT Lady Jaguars

JKL Lady Dolphins 68:70 JT Lady Jaguars

JKL Lady Dolphins 71:47 JT Lady Jaguars

JKL Lady Dolphins 51:48 JT Lady Jaguars

JKL Lady Dolphins 84:57 UPDF Lady Tomahawks

Top Performers (Playoffs)