The National Basketball League quarter-final playoff series between Magic Stormers and KCCA Leopards is headed for a fiery Game Three after the Stormers roared back to life with a dominant 78-60 triumph at Lugogo Indoor Arena on Wednesday night.
The clash began as a tightly contested affair, with Nyachwo Owor’s late layup leaving the Stormers just a point adrift (14-13) after the opening quarter.
The Leopards then flexed their claws in the second period, with Soigi Martha’s silky turnaround jumper capping off a commanding run that saw KCCA storm into the halftime break with a 12-point cushion (37-25).
But the Stormers returned from the locker rooms with renewed fire, raining in deep shots to erase the deficit and drag the game level at 51-51 by the close of the third quarter.
From there, the script flipped dramatically. The Leopards were caged and silenced, managing only nine points in the final frame as the Stormers unleashed a blistering offensive storm to seal an emphatic 18-point victory.
Joy Nekesa Mupalia was a towering force in the paint, delivering a commanding double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
She was ably supported by the red-hot Auma Angella, who torched the Leopards with 23 points, while Daphine Adong chipped in another 18 to complete the Stormers’ offensive trio of destruction.
The Leopards had their bright sparks, with Martha (11), Tracy Namugosa (11), and Perus Nyamwenge (10) all hitting double digits. But their efforts were ultimately drowned out by the Stormers’ late-game surge.
