Unbeaten Blazers face hungry Jaguars in high stakes NBL showdown
The Blazers are sitting pretty at the top of the standings with an impressive 11-0 record and 22 points, making them the team everyone is aiming to beat this season.
A Namuwongo Blazers player pepares to shot. PHOTO: Michael Nsubuga
By Chrispus Baluku
Journalists @New Vision
National Basketball League
Friday, May 30
JT Jaguars vs Namuwongo Blazers 9pm
Lugogo Indoor Arena
The JT Jaguars will face a huge challenge this Friday as they take on the unbeaten Namuwongo Blazers in a crucial National Basketball League (NBL) matchup at Lugogo Indoor Arena.
The Blazers are sitting pretty at the top of the standings with an impressive 11-0 record and 22 points, making them the team everyone is aiming to beat this season.
Currently, the Jaguars find themselves in a tight race, tied with the UCU Canons and Kampala Rockets, all boasting 7-4 records and 18 points. A loss in this game could see them slip to fifth place, putting their playoff aspirations in jeopardy. For the JT Jaguars, this match is a must-win if they want to keep their spot in the top four.
In their first-round meeting, the Namuwongo Blazers dominated the Jaguars with an 83-57 victory. The Blazers started strong, taking a 23-14 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. In the second half, backed by a loud and passionate crowd, they tightened their defense and pulled away for a comfortable win.
Jimmy Enabu was the star of that game, racking up 21 points. James Okello contributed a solid double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Michael Makiadi added 12 points, including four three-pointers. These three have been instrumental for the Blazers throughout the season.
Namuwongo Blazers will once again look to their star trio for leadership. Enabu comes in averaging 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 steals per game. Okello has been dominant on the boards with 11 rebounds and 6 assists, while Makiadi offers a reliable shooting option from beyond the arc.
The JT Jaguars will rely heavily on Mark Were, who scored 21 points in their last meeting with the Blazers. He will need support from Aaron Eboyu, who has been solid throughout the first round with an average of 9 points per game. The team must improve their overall offense if they want a different result this time.
However, the Jaguars will be without their starting shooting guard for this match. The player is still recovering from injury, and the medical team has advised that he needs more time to heal. His absence could affect the team’s scoring depth and backcourt defense