Local basketball giants Rwanda Energy Group (REG) and Patriots will go head-to-head Friday, August 12, in a highly anticipated league crunch at BK Arena as the championship edges closer to the playoff stage.
The tie between the two sides is always closely contested, and gets local basketball fans excited.
Defending champions REG top the league table with 45 points, just one point ahead of Patriots who are in second position.
Patriots small forward Bruno Nyamwasa (L) guards REG star, Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza (with the ball), during their first game this season, which Patriots won 70-63, in March. Photo: Courtesy.
REG were last season's champions, a feat that qualified them to represent the country at the 2022 edition of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) earlier this year.
Patriots are challenging for the 2021/22 domestic league glory in a quest to return to the 2023 BAL, a continental showpiece where they finished fourth last year.
During the two sides' first encounter this season, Patriots came out on top in a 70-63 win.
Speaking to Times Sport about the game, Henry Mwinuka, the head coach of REG, said his men were ready, and rallied the players against turnovers.
"We are ready for the game. We've tried to work on our concentration levels and discipline because in the past game we lost the ball easily. We also gave away too many fouls."
Patriots' Bernard Olouch, in a separate interview, acknowledged that it is to be a tough game, but underlined that his team looked forward to making the best out of it.
"It's going to be a tough game, probably the toughest this season but I think we have chances of winning. We want to build our game and consistency," he said.
Meanwhile, the game will be preceded by another showdown between APR and United Generation Basketball (UGB), starting 6pm CAT.
APR are third with 43 points, while UGB are sixth-placed with 36 points.
Friday
APR Vs UGB 6pm
Patriots Vs REG 8pm
