Rwanda: Who Are Tussling It Out in Basketball League Playoffs?

28 August 2024
The New Times (Kigali)
By Damas Sikubwabo

The 2024 Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) playoffs tip off on Friday, August 30, at Petit Stade, in what promises to be an action-packed basketball show.

Holders APR and Patriots are joined by Rwanda Energy Group (REG) and Kepler in the best-of-five semifinal series before winners advance to the finals which will be played in a best-of-seven series.

Two semifinal matchups have been confirmed with Patriots going up against Kepler while APR will take on 2023 runners-up REG.

The champions will win automatic ticket to the Basketball Africa League (BAL) season 5.

Times Sport gives a short glimpse into each of the teams featuring in this year's basketball league playoffs.

Patriots

Position: 1st

Arguably the most popular basketball team in the domestic league, the team has four championships to its name.

Henry Mwinuka's return to the club brought renewed confidence among players who looked demoralized after yet another disappointing campaign during the 2023 season when the club finished in fourth position after refusing the play the third place.

Patriots finished this year's regular season at the summit of the league table and the they look poised to build on such success.

The former champions boast some of the best local players like Steven Hagumintwari and Dieudonne Ndizeye, in addition their star man Will Perry, an American guard who is arguably the most feared in the league so far.

Recently, the team added to their roster Staphaun Branch, another American guard who, thanks to his size, is so strong in defence and aggressive playing style.

APR BBC

Position: 2nd

The defending champions finished the regular season in second place behind the Patriots, the only team which beat them on both rounds.

APR have for the past two years been undergoing a massive rebuild, as club pushed to regain its status as a top club in Rwanda, recruiting top players on the continent and overseas.

The military side's roster comprises a host of top international players like Isaiah Miller, an American guard who boasts NBA G League experience, as well as Aliou Diarra, a Malian centre who is one of the best basketball talents on the continent.

This is in addition to club's experienced local contingent which includes the likes of Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza and William Robeyns. Lanky forward Osborne Shema is also with APR, and has been among club's standout performers since his arrival from the United States where he had completed his studies at Iona University.

REG

Position: 3rd

The electricians, though slightly underrated in this season, will fight hard to win the league so that they can return to the BAL where they twice represented Rwanda previously.

REG boasts a big and experienced team with players like Jean Victor Mukama, Pitchou Manga, Antino Jackson Alvalezes and American guard Cleveland Thomas Jr.

The club let their serious championship ambitions noticed when they announced the appointment of Ogoh Odaudu as their new head coach.

The Nigerian was named BAL 2024 African coach of the year after guiding Rivers Hoopers to their first-ever Basketball Africa League (BAL) playoffs, before the team went on to secure a third-place finish in the 2024 season.

REG are the only reason Patriots failed to finish the regular season unbeaten.

Kepler

Position: 4th

Kepler are the underdogs in this year's playoffs, at least on paper, but they have shown that they don't easily give up.

The team is a young but ambitious one, having a blend of both local and international talent at its disposal.

Burundian guard Guibert Nijimbere is one of the key elements on Kepler's side, but again, one of their big assets can be Mandy Juruni, their coach.

The Ugandan tactician has experience in handling big games in big situations and he love to be a winner. He knows how sweet it is to win a championship, having achieved multiple back-to-back league trophies with City Oilers in Uganda.

He is already proving his worth in Rwandan Basketball by qualifying Kepler to the playoffs on its very debut season in the domestic league.

Read the original article on New Times.

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