Sunday, September 3
*Kampala Rockets 75-97 Ndejje University
*JKL Lady Dolphins 91-35 Angels
*UPDF Tomahawks 48-49 Rezlife
Angels Ladies Basketball club has been relegated from the Women’s National Basketball League.
The side learnt their fate after suffering a 35-91 defeat against JKL Lady Dolphins on Sunday at YMCA court in Wandegeya.
The loss means that Angels completed their regular season games on 26 points, with a 4-18 record.
Nabisunsa (4-16) who have lost four games as well, still have two games to play.
And even if Nabisunsa loses both games, they will finish above Angels because they hold a better head-to-head against the side.
Nabisunsa beat Angels 63-50 on April 30 in the first round (with a difference of 13 points) and lost 52-56 on July 2 against the side in the second round (a difference of 4 points).
Notably, Nabisunsa can only be relegated if they do not honour (fail to show up) any of their two remaining games against Kampala University and KCCA Leopards.
But as it stands, Angels have joined Nkumba Lady Marines (1-20) who were relegated earlier, and still have a game to play.
The development is music to ears for other strugglers A1 Challenge (6-15) and Kampala University (5-16) who have had a difficult season as well.
It’s the end of the road for Angels in top flight who were promoted from Division One back in 2018 with UMU (Uganda Martyrs University) Ravens.
And the relegation has happened in the season in which the club celebrated their 10 years of existence, having been established in 2013 with the aim of empowering Young Ladies through basketball.
Coming into Sunday’s game, Angels needed nothing but victory, but it was a tough ask against JKL, a side that is a favourite to win the League this season.
JKL led 23-07 and Angels continued to struggle including in a third quarter where they managed to score just four points, and there was no way back for a team coached by Emmanuel Ateng (KCCA) and Tonny Drilleba (City Oilers).
Captain Elizabeth Akol scored 11 points, and she was the only Angels player to score in double figures on the day.
Brenda Ekon scored a game high 28 points while three other JKL players – Hope Akello (15), Becky Longom (13) and Flavia Oketcho (10) also reached double figures.
