Lady Marines’ winless first round raises relegation fears in tough NBL return

National Basketball League Women’s Results

Magic Stormers 62 Lady Marines 54
KCCA Leopards 78 Lady Tomahawks 52

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Women's Matches:
Leopards vs Stormers - YMCA Wandegeya (7:00 PM)
Lady Jaguars vs Rangers – Lugogo Indoor Arena (7:00 PM)

Men's Matches
Panthers vs Rockets (YMCA Wandegeya, 9:00 PM)
Titans vs Crocs - Lugogo Indoor Arena(9:00 PM)

The return of the Nkumba Lady Marines to the National Basketball League 2025 season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster.

After securing promotion earlier this year by reaching the FUBA Division One Playoffs final, the team now faces the grim prospect of relegation.

On Sunday, May 4, at YMCA, Nkumba suffered their tenth consecutive league defeat of the season, falling 62–54 to the Magic Stormers. This loss means they completed the first round of the league without a single win and currently sit at the bottom of the 11-team table.

Nkumba’s return to the premier league comes just one season after relegation, but the current campaign has not gone as hoped, and recent results have cast serious doubts over their survival chances.

Their last five matches have been particularly tough, with defeats to the Lady Dolphins (79–50), Lady Jaguars (81–38), Lady Canons (81–47), and Nabisunsa Girls (68–54). Sunday's loss to the Magic Stormers served as another stark reminder of the challenging path ahead.

Against the Stormers, Nkumba began with promise. Ssengendo Mary Hazel scored eight points in the first quarter to keep the team close, although they ended the period trailing 19–13. Offensively, Nkumba struggled, scoring only eight points in the quarter while conceding 14. By halftime, they were down 33–21 and found themselves playing catch-up.

The Stormers extended their lead in the third quarter, at one point going up by 21 points. Shalom Muwanguzi added ten points in the quarter in an effort to mount a comeback, but the gap proved insurmountable.

Nkumba pushed in the fourth quarter, but the deficit was too large. Hazel finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Muwanguzi contributed 10 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Faridah Zainah dominated the boards with 15 rebounds.

Nkumba currently ranks 11th with ten losses in as many games. Just ahead of them are Nabisunsa Girls, who have played eight games, and KIU Rangers, who are ninth with only six games played.

The Lady Marines must secure wins in the second round if they hope to avoid relegation. Their key players—Mellisa Namboowa, Ssengendo Hazel, Faridah Aziz, Catherine Nakimuli, and Shalom Muwanguzi—have shown moments of promise, but greater consistency and confidence will be essential moving forward.

Women's basketball continues on Wednesday, May 7. KCCA Leopards, currently holding a 6–1 record, will host the Magic Stormers at 7:00 PM at YMCA. The Leopards last played in a commanding 78–52 victory over the UPDF Lady Tomahawks.

The JT Lady Jaguars, with a 7–1 record, will face the KIU Rangers at Lugogo at 7:00 PM. In their previous game, Sarah Ageno recorded 21 points and 16 rebounds to lead her team to a 79–51 win over the Miracle Eaglets.

In the men's division, KCCA Panthers resume play on Wednesday, May 7, hosting the Kampala Rockets at YMCA at 9:00 PM. This comes after their impressive 88–60 win over JKL Dolphins on Saturday.

That victory marked the Panthers’ seventh of the season. They are now tied with the JT Jaguars at 7–2, both teams having 16 points from nine games.

The Kampala Rockets sit in ninth place with 12 points, just behind the eighth-place City Oilers. A win would be crucial for the Rockets to climb the standings and close the gap.

In another men’s game on Wednesday evening, the struggling KIU Titans will host the Victoria Crocs at Lugogo Indoor Arena at 9:00 PM. The Crocs, led by standout Chuol Nyuot, will be looking to bounce back from a narrow 60–56 loss to the City Oilers. The Crocs currently hold seventh place with four wins and five losses from nine games.