The KCCA Leopards will face the Magic Stormers on Friday 6th March in a repeat of the 2025 NBL quarter-finals which they lost 2-1.

In 2025, the KCCA Leopards hoped they would finally get over the quarter-finals hurdle having finished as the number two seed.

However, despite winning the first game of the series, they lost the next 2 and were ultimately eliminated. This time round, they have a chance to get revenge and this game comes at a very crucial time.

Form

In the 6 games played so far, the KCCA Leopards have won 4 and lost 2. However, the performance in their losses has been concerning as they scored 28 against the JT Lady Jaguars and 34 against the UCU Lady Canons.

Both those teams finished in the top 4 in the 2025 NBL season and so did the Magic Stormers.

The Stormers have won just 1 of their 5 games this season. Their latest deficit was 43-41 to the Pearl Queens who scored 0 points in the first quarter. In the entire second half of that game, they were limited to just 12 points.

What does this game mean for both teams?

Those two losses have been a very big blemish for the KCCA Leopards. One of the ways they can redeem themselves is by securing a huge result in this game. Winning will not be enough for them. They need to convincingly win and remind the rest of the team who they are.

All the Magic Stormers need in this game is a win. Given their poor form, they need to get their season back on track and one of the ways they can do that is by defeating one of the top teams.

The team that defeated KCCA in 2025 is unchanged and they will have the confidence in their ability to defeat them again.

Strategy

What we saw in game 2 in 2025 was that the Magic Stormers disrupted the KCCA leopards in the second half. They applied a press on them and the Leopards struggled. At some point, they gave up.  

If we see a similar tactic employed, how can the KCCA Leopards escape? Uwineza Ninette and Tracy Namugosa and to a degree Sharua Nakirya are the three players that you expect to handle the ball. The most lethal of the 3 in terms of scoring is Tracy Namugosa.

In case the Magic Stormers limit Tracy, who will score for the Leopards? That could be a very big question that the KCCA Leopards may need to answer.

Magic Stormers’ offense has been heavily reliant on transition. If they play an open game, Tracy Namugosa may feast. This means that the Magic Stormers have to ways of executing in the half court.

The Magic Stormers and the KCCA Leopards face on Friday 6thMarch at Lugogo Indoor Arena.