Rwanda| Barame Makes APR -U-Turn
Rwanda's point guard, Barane has re-united with his former teammates at APR Club. Barame, who joined Marines last year as a free agent, re-joins APR ahead of the Heroes Tournament, which APR look mostly likely to retain the title they won in 2009. Barame has been training with APR the last two weeks

Coach Cliff Owuor Strengthening APR

Rwanda basketball kings APR have boosted their hopes of securing an unprecedented third league title in a row by chasing for two new players. Although the clubs head coach Cliff Owuor could not reveal the players names, he said that he was looking to strengthen the point guard and shooting guard positions. For now, all you need to know is that we are talking to two players, a point guard and a shooting guard, the former Kenyan international told Times Sport.

APR start pre-season training

APR’s indomitable lions have started pre-season training as they plot to do what they do best-win the national basketball league.

And with Marines seemingly out of the equation, APR know that the door is wide open for them to exert their dominance. Cliff Owuor’s side has stepped up training at Nyarugenge courts ahead of the league which is expected to throw off mid-next month. “We have started training. We intend to bring in two new players to boost the squad and like always, we expect the same thing- to win the league,” the former Kenyan international said.

Away from the local scene, APR also have their eyes on the forth coming Zone V Games in Kampala, Uganda. Last year, APR made a name for themselves after a third spot finish in the prestigious FIBA-Africa Club Championship which was staged in Kigali. Primeiro de Agosto won the tournament after trouncing their Angolan rivals Petro Atletico in the final.

info: Timothy Muvunyi/Fiba

Rwanda bid's for 2010 FIBA Africa U18 for Men

With the success in hosting the 24th FIBA Africa Champions Club for Men Rwanda through its Basketball Federation is bidding to stage the next edition of the FIBA Africa Championship for U18 Men in 2010.

This disclosure was made by the East Africa country Sports and Culture Minister, Joseph Habineza who charged the Rwanda Basketball Federation president, Eric Kalisa and his members to forward a bid for the championship to FIBA Africa for consideration. The minister says he is confident the Rwanda federation will not disappoint in the organization of the cadet tournament.

According to the minister, staging more continental and regional championship will help to boost our basketball and prepared us to stage the biggest event in 2013. FERWABA president, Kalisa who expresses joy at the minister statement and the Rwandan government backing of it activities promise FIBA Africa that his federation will not let down the confidence repose in his federation in staging a befitting U18 championship if considered.

Kalisa says the hosting of the 2009 FIBA Africa biggest club competition has served as an eye opener to the federation and they are prepared to keep learning and improving so as to get the stage of perfection.

APR trounce Espoir in playoffs final

APR asserted themselves as Rwanda’s basketball giants after making light work of Espoir in the playoffs final. The Indomitable lions out-washed their arch-rivals 87-69 on Saturday and 102-68 on Sunday to lift their second trophy of the season.

“We are happy with our run. We have not lost a game this season and that is very commendable from the team. We are now looking forward to the Fiba Africa Club Championships,” APR’s head coach Cliff Owuor said.

APR’s Mike Buzangu was the star of the play-offs after weighing in with 22 points in both games.
It was APR all the way as they also won the women and junior championships. In the women category, the army-side edged National University of Rwanda (UNR) while the juniors outgunned Kigali Institute of Education (KIE).

The team beat KIE to also win the junior championship. APR won the female contests too.
APR’s double (playoff and league) meant that the club walked away with two trophies and a heavy cash envelope of Rwf1.75m. The team pocketed Rwf1.25m for the league and Rwf0.5m for the play-offs victory.

BY TIMOTHY MUVUNYI /FIBA Africa

AfroBasket| Rwanda Finishes 9th after Win Over Egypt and Libya

East Africa's representatives, Rwanda National team ended its participation in the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship as championship ninth best team with a narrow 78-75 points win over five-time champion, Egypt at the Suleiman Al-Darat Hall in Benghazi, Libya. Rwanda won the first and the last two quarters (27-22, 23-22 and 16-12points) leaving the Pharaohs with just a win in the second quarter with 19-12 points. Rwanda forward Robert Thomson had a double double of 19 points and 14 rebounds, Kenny Gasana added 18 points and gave 6 assists, Carlos Mugabo also had a double double of 11 points and 10 rebounds while Mathew Miller contributed 12 points and 4 assists for the defeat of Egypt.

The win followed a hard fought 80-77 win over hosts Libya on day seven of the African championships. >> More

AfroBasket| Rwanda Hit Cameroon As They Continue to Impress at Continental Games

AfroBasket|Eastern Africa Representatives Upset Senegal

Rwanda provided one of the best but shocking results of the round-of-eight in the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship for Men at the Africa Union Hall in Tripoli with an emphatic 72-59 points victory over Senegal. The Rwanda who scrap through to this stage due to its only preliminary win over Cape Verde became group-F dreaded side after holding the Senegalese Lions to a 16 points apiece in the first quarter only to breake loose in the second quarter opening an 11 points lead with an 18-07 win to go into the break with 34-23 points advantage.

Boniface Ndong tried to power the Senegalese side back into contention in the third quarter which they won by 21-18 points but it was the Rwanda side who emerge victorious after winning the last quarter by 20-15 points for a cumulative score-line of 72-59 to send clear signal to other teams in the group that they are not in Libya as tourist. Kenny Gasana led the Rwanda side on the score sheet with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, Robert Thomson added 16 points and 8 rebounds while Mathew Miller contributed 14 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Ndong’s Efforts of 21 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists including the 17 points and 11 points, 7 rebounds contributed by the duo of Mohammed Faye and El-Hadji Ndoye were not enough to save their side from defeat. >> More on AfroBasket

AfroBasket| Rwanda Defeat Cape Verde in Second Game

Rwanda defeated Cape Verde 77-67 in an entertaining tie in day two of the ongoing FIBA Africa Men’s Basketball Championships in Libya. The East African side registered the morale boosting win after shrugging off day one narrow 84-84 loss to Morocco and a slow start that saw them go down 20-25 in the first quarter. Cape Verde were determined and continued to dominate deep into the second quarter through J. Xavier and R. Mascarenthas, which they took 17-12 for a 42-32 lead at the break. On resumption, the Rwandese side showed what earned them a slot in the continental games when they went on a scoring spree with Robert Thomson, Mathew Miller and Amadin Rutayisire leading the pack as they outscored Cape Verde 24-11 in the third Quarter, and 21-14 in the final quarter for the deserved victory. Miller shot 18 points for Rwanda, while J.Xavier replied for Cape Verde with 19 points. >> Read More on AfroBasket Games

ZONE-5 | Marines off to a Good Start, Fail to reach Semis, As APR Fall

Ayebale Honorie – APR - Rwanda was the tournaments top scorer

The Rwandans got off to a dream start, after finding Falcon's Stephen Omony, Francis Tumusime and Sam Obol not at their usual best, winning the opening two quarters 16-13 and 21-19 respectively but Falcons’ experience was always expected to come to the fore. Arnold Akwira (16 points), Elibo Muhire (21) and Gedeka Kateguhaga (20), three rare talents in the Rwandan side, kept the Falcons’ defence on its toes despite the Ugandans winning the third quarter 22-13. Another Rwandese team, CSK lost their opener to Co-operative Bank 81-63. In the women’s games, APR were impressive in the preliminary games, but fell 66-74 to hosts Kampala City Council-KCC in the semi finals. Come the finals and Kenyan sides, Kenya Ports Authority-KPA (women) and Cooperative Bank,(men) won the 2009 FIBA Africa Zone-5 Championships in Kampala, Uganda. KPA were the first to register their win after hitting hosts Kampala City Council-KCC 67-45, paving the way for another Kenyan triumph as Cooperative Bank upset Uganda’s Warriors 53-47 in a tough duel.>> Read More on Zone Five Games

GISEMBE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT | JUNE
By Cliff Owuor, ALSABASKETBALL RWANDA Correspondent | posted June 13, 2006

Espoir Basketball team extended their invitations to the Great lake region in this year’s edition of the Gisembe memorial tournament. Gisembe Ntarugera Emmanuel was a star player for Espoir before he was killed in the barbaric act of 1994 genocide in Rwanda 10 years ago.
The tournament has attracted teams from Burundi and DRCongo. In the qualifying rounds of the game to acquire teams to represent Rwanda, host Espoir suffered major upsets >>>Read More