That sounds really tough, but it’s impressive that you still managed to finish the game on your own. Soloing a project after planning for a team is definitely not easy. That was actually my first game jam experience as well.
My suggestion is to always plan a scope that you could realistically finish alone if necessary. That way, if something unexpected happens with the team, the project is still manageable.
It also helps to establish consistent communication early on and get a sense of everyone’s availability and skills. I’ll keep it real: sometimes people leave without saying anything. If someone becomes unresponsive for a couple of days during a short jam, there’s a high chance they may have dropped out, so it’s usually a good sign to adjust expectations and plan around that.
Either way, finishing the game under those circumstances is a big achievement.