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Mercy Batamuliza and Shadia Nassanga, both in their mid-20s, have been lifelong friends.
From their early childhood days, soon after they had dropped the nappies, they have been playmates, right through primary at Kiddawalime Preparatory School in Namungoona, a Kampala suburb.
While they separated at secondary school level, as Batamuliza joined St. Noa Schools in Zzana, Nassanga was not so far away from her childhood friend, as she joined St Mary’s SS Kitende.
Coincidentally, both schools are prominent for their sports culture, and are along Entebbe road, separated by not more than seven kilometres. It was there that their netball playing careers, that have seen them play for the national team since 2023, were harnessed, even though it all started at Kiddawalime.
Interestingly, as fate would have it, Nassanga and Batamuliza are not only attackers for the national netball team, The She Cranes, but they lead the line for one of the top sides in the topflight netball Super League, KCCA.
However, now, they are on war paths in the National Basketball League (NBL). Batamuliza is representing the JT Lady Jaguars, while Nassanga is appearing in her second final for the JKL Lady Dolphins.
Last night, the two faced-off in game three of their best of seven series final by press- time, in what has been a breakthrough season for the duo, making them critical to their teams’ causes thus far.
Both players are in their second NBL seasons, yet they have proved to be important, something few would have expected, considering how much they struggled in their first season.
Batamuliza said: “It has been a period of so much sacrifice on the court to get better by the day. Amidst the criticism, I have had to work hard with my coach, Sudi Ulanga to get better. He has taught me a lot. The fruits of the playoff finals are a result of real work.”
Batamuliza and Nassanga are post players, which is a problem area in women’s basketball. That is why having them is a godsend. They are tall, something that gives their teams a lot of advantage when it comes to rebounding, an attribute that is quite handy, both on offence and defence.
Yet, this is what has put them on a war path. They are expected to mark each other one way or the other. It must feel odd.
“Not as such, though,” Nassanga said. “We come into games aware that although we are friends, when we get on court, we have to defend the badge of our teams. Of course, I find Batamuliza a Sendawula’s remarkable football resilience is a beauty to behlod P.26 HB ZZIWA tricky opponent because she is taller than me, and also jumps pretty high, which makes her a good rebounder,” Nassanga said.
This season, the performance of the two forwards has been commendable, as seen in the minutes they spend on court. Nassanga, who hardly spent five minutes of the 40 that the entire game lasts, on court, has averaged 20 minutes in 2025.
On the other hand, Batamuliza has averaged 25 minutes. That has been warranted by her contribution to the team’s final score. Today, Batamuliza is talked about in such glowing terms, as one of the best defenders in the game.
But she has also averaged 8.5 points, 12.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. In addition, it was difficult to envisage a situation where Nassanga would be part of the starting five soon for JKL.
But she has broken the ceiling this year. She has averaged 7.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and one assist. She admitted recently that her offence is not as good as it can be. But one teammate of hers, she said, has helped her greatly.
“Right from the off-season last year, Hope Akello has been teaching me how to become a better post player. But also my coaches have been so patient with me. It is not easy learning a new sport during competition, and from basics. Oftentimes, plays would be instructed, which I struggled to interpret earlier. But now, I am getting there,” Nassanga said with a chuckle.
Although Nassanga won the NBL championship last year, her contribution then was insignificant. She cannot boast about it. That is why she is determined to win it this time even though she knows how tough the Jaguars are.
“Last year was my first year in basketball. I was just learning the basics. So, every moment I was on court was an opportunity for the coach to see how much I had learnt. It was a struggle. Being a netball player, who was not used to contact, basketball was tough because of its physicality and rules,” Nassanga said.
Nassanga started playing basketball in the last quarter of 2023. Right after she had returned from the Netball World Cup in South Africa back in August, she escorted her friend Batamuliza to her training session with the Jaguars.
That is where Nassanga bumped into Fredrick Owora aka Freedom, the boss of JKL. He persuaded her to join his team for trials in a sport she had never played before. She hesitatingly agreed to join.
And now, two years later, Nassanga, is not a mere footnote. Her exploits in the semifinals, particularly the decisive game five against the UCU Lady Canons, she stumped her authority in ending the eight-time champions’ quest for a ninth championship.
Equally, Batamuliza put up a stellar display in game one of the final, to ensure that the Jaguars beat JKL 69- 52. Over the weekend, the Batamuliza and Nassanga combination saw them beat UCU Angels and Ugisa in the netball league. But before last night when the series were locked at 1-1, and Friday, when game four will be played, they are best friends turned foes.
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