Angels Basketball Club registered their first win of the 2026 National Basketball League (NBL) season after edging Nabisunsa 73-72 in a thrilling women’s encounter played on Wednesday evening at the Lugogo Indoor Arena.
The closely contested game, broadcast live on NBS Sport 2 via AfroMobile, carried significant weight in the relegation battle, with both sides desperate for a positive result. Nabisunsa entered the tie seeking a second victory of the campaign, while Angels were still searching for their first.
Nabisunsa made the brighter start, taking the opening quarter 17-13, but Angels responded strongly in the second, winning it 21-18 to cut the halftime deficit to just one point (35-34).
The decisive moment came in the third quarter, where Nabisunsa struggled offensively, managing only eight points compared to Angels’ 17.
Although Nabisunsa rallied to take the final quarter 29-22, it was not enough to overturn the deficit, as Angels held on for a narrow one-point victory.
The game was decided in the closing moments. Angel Akuwei Mabor scored a crucial two-point layup with 15 seconds remaining to give Angels the lead, moments after Marion Anyanzwa had calmly converted two free throws 28 seconds before to cut the deficit to one.
Melissa Kisakye led all scorers with a game-high 22 points for Nabisunsa, while Keturah Joy Auma and Abigail Mpoza, who have been superb so far this season, delivered all-round performances with 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists and 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists respectively, but their efforts fell just short.
For Angels, Rebecca Namatovu led the way with 15 points and nine rebounds, sharing the team’s rebounding honours with Mabor. Joan Namatovu also contributed four assists to steer the team to victory.
The win lifts Angels off the bottom of the table into 11th place, while Nabisunsa drop to the foot of the standings. Both teams now share identical records of one win and nine losses after 10 games.
Nabisunsa will look to bounce back against Pearl Queens in their final first-round fixture on Sunday, while Angels face a stern test against JT Lady Jaguars on the same day.
Meanwhile, in the men’s division, UCU Canons delivered a commanding performance to defeat Kampala Rockets 82-52 in a game that was live on NBS Sport, further compounding the Rockets’ difficult season.
The result marks Kampala Rockets’ ninth loss in 11 games, leaving them rooted at the bottom of the standings amid ongoing on- and off-court struggles, including reports of inconsistent training sessions.
UCU Canons, on the other hand, climbed to seventh place with a balanced record of five wins and five losses, reflecting a mixed start to their campaign.
The game began competitively, with UCU taking the first quarter 15-11. Kampala Rockets responded in the second quarter, outscoring UCU 24-18 to take a narrow 35-33 lead into halftime.
However, the second half was entirely dominated by UCU. The Canons outclassed the Rockets 26-8 in the third quarter and followed it up with a 23-9 fourth-quarter display to seal a comprehensive 30-point victory.
Jimmy Otim led all scorers with 16 points for UCU, while Alier Pech Lier Jongroor, Campbell Chiedozie and Tadeo Jude Onyango each grabbed nine rebounds. Brian Opio paced Kampala Rockets with 14 points and four assists, but his contribution proved insufficient.
UCU will conclude their first-round schedule with a high-stakes clash against the unbeaten City Oilers on Sunday, while Kampala Rockets will aim to regroup ahead of the second round.
Elsewhere at YMCA Wandegeya, UPDF Lady Tomahawks stunned defending champions JKL Lady Dolphins with a 72-55 victory, handing them their second consecutive defeat and third loss of the season.
JKL Lady Dolphins were once again limited to just six players: Flavia Oketcho, Tamasha Nsubuga, Charity Racheal Nantalo, Agnes Njeri, Florence Rachel Ogundha and Ritah Imanishimwe, which proved costly against a well-balanced UPDF side.
Stella Maris Lunkuse starred for the Tomahawks with 16 points, 15 rebounds and four assists to guide her team to victory.
In the corresponding men’s fixture, UPDF Tomahawks defeated JKL Dolphins 70-62 to cap off an eventful night of NBL action.
