Why are the JKL Dolphins suddenly looking fallible?

The last time the JKL Lady Dolphins lost twice in the National Basketball League (NBL) regular season, Zainah Nansikombi was the team’s go-to player. That was in 2019.

So, when the JKL Dolphins lost to KCCA Leopards 67-75 on Saturday, May 17 at Abja Park in Naalya, to register their second regular season defeat, it was unusual. But make no mistake; it had nothing to do with Nansikombi.

Soon after the 2019 season, Nansikombi relocated to the USA, where she has been pursuing her studies. And besides, by the time she left JKL Dolphins, she had inspired them to a second successive championship, despite the fact that A1-Challenge and KCCA Leopards had beaten them in the regular season in 2019.

Considering that JKL Dolphins losing two regular season games is surprising, only proves what an immovable force they have been since joining the NBL in 2017. In fact, they hold the most recent winning record of 29 games, which ended when the UCU Canons beat them to the 2022 championship.

However, unlike in 2019, when their two losses proved to be a mere flash in the pan, this season looks a bit different. Although KCCA also beat JT Jaguars a few weeks ago, and are on an eight-match winning streak, few can firmly state that the Mayor’s girls are the team to beat. So, could the JKL Dolphins’ loss to KCCA be a pointer to a transition towards vulnerability? Henry Malinga, the JKL Dolphins coach, does not think so.

In his view: “It was simply a bad day at the office. This was explicit in the number of unusual mistakes we made as a team. We turned over the ball 28 times, and conceded 40 points off our unforced errors.”

Aggressive approach

On whether JKL Dolphins are showing the opposition that they are fallible this year, Malinga noted that teams are open to think the way they want to. But for him, this situation is a normal one. Losing is part of sport.

Yet, the true test of character is how one reacts after defeat. JKL Dolphins face the KIU Rangers this evening at the YMCA in Wandegeya, to conclude their first-round action. But even after the defeat to KCCA, they beat Nabisunsa Secondary School 79-47, and in that game, Malinga saw his players responding better than they had the day before.

Against KCCA, Malinga felt they failed to contend with the aggressive approach of their opponents. But at the same time, they ran out of steam early, despite having a good start. That is unlike the energy and enthusiasm they showed against Nabisunsa, Malinga noted.

Maybe Nabisunsa is not the best yardstick for Malinga to gauge his side. Nabisunsa are schoolgirls, whose star player, Abigail Mpoza is one of Uganda’s under-18 internationals. She did not play against JKL, which suggests that had she, prob- ably the scoreline would have been closer, and the contest tighter.

Fringe players

Notably, although JKL still boasts of several national team (Gazelles) players, Hope Akello, last year’s MVP leading a legion that has Evelyn Nakiyingi, Agatha Kamwada, and Flavia Okecho, they are missing a number of players. Rita Imanishimwe and Becky Longom, two Gazelles, too, are injured, while Brenda Ekon is preoccupied by work.

After last season, JKL lost the current Gazelles captain, Jane Asinde to the paid ranks in China, before she moved to Spain at the beginning of this year. Thelma Toskin and Togolese star, Miriam Senade also left, yet, they provided a lot of depth.

Now, Malinga has had to rely more on the fringe players such as Tamasha Nsubuga, Shamilah Nakiyaga and the much-improved Shadia Nassanga. Nassanga has been missing lately because of duties with her KCCA netball team in the East Africa Club championship in Zanzibar.

Nonetheless, Malinga insisted the real basketball competition begins in the playoffs, when it matters most. And he believes his fringe players would have improved tremendously as others return from injury. Losing now does not concern Malinga much because in 2022, no one remembered their long winning streak after UCU Lady Canons beat them to the championship.