by Julius Mbaraga
This year's liberation basketball tournament could go down to the wire after attracting the country's top guns.
The three-day event which throws off today has attracted reigning champions APR, the league's defending champions marine, last year's play-off finalists CSK A and 2004 league champions Espoir.
CSK A who will open the event's action at Amahoro indoor stadium with a clash against Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) are expected to have an easy go today.
by Julius Mbaraga
This year's liberation basketball tournament could go down to the wire after attracting the country's top guns. The three-day event which throws off today has attracted reigning champions APR, the league's defending champions marine, last year's play-off finalists CSK A and 2004 league champions Espoir. CSK A who will open the event's action at Amahoro indoor stadium with a clash against Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) are expected to have an easy go today. In the other day's fixtures, UGB take on Espoir at Amahoro while Marine entertains Rwanda National University (UNR) in the NPC sports hall. Cliff Owuor's indomitable lions will open their title defense tomorrow at Primature with a clash against UNR before logging heads with Marine at Amahoro later in the day. The annual event has also attracted four ladies' clubs; APR, UNR, KIE and ISAE. At the end of the three-day event, the top four clubs in both categories will qualify for the international version slated for next weekend.
by Julius Mbaraga
Espoir continued to show signs of vulnerability against the top sides after crumbling to a 72-85 defeat against Rusizi over the weekend.
Leon Ngaboyakema had 31 points, five rebounds and four assists to hand the western province club a strong start in this year's league campaign. Two other Rusizi players were in double figures.
Meanwhile, Jean Umutoni (-82) top scored for Espoir with 21 points while Platini Gatete added 17.
by Julius Mbaraga
Espoir continued to show signs of vulnerability against the top sides after crumbling to a 72-85 defeat against Rusizi over the weekend.
Leon Ngaboyakema had 31 points, five rebounds and four assists to hand the western province club a strong start in this year's league campaign. Two other Rusizi players were in double figures.
Meanwhile, Jean Umutoni (-82) top scored for Espoir with 21 points while Platini Gatete added 17. In a post game comment, Rusizi's coach Pierre Kiza said that the guys wanted a good start and they got it. 'It is always important to win away from home and we did that. And winning against a team like Espoir is a bonus for us because it raises our confidence,' he said. After the Espoir win, Rusizi who are only making their second appearance in the league also registered a convincing 78-59 win over struggling Basketball United Generation (UGB). The win left Rusizi level with APR BC and Espoir on points, although the latter have played more games. Despite losing out to Rusizi, USC/UGB St.Louis had earlier broken their losing streak with a 54-47 win over hapless Kigali Institute of Education. Although Marine overshadowed Rusizi's display after winning the 2007 league, statistics show that Rusizi had one of the best ever debut performances in the history of the league. The student-studded club reached the play-offs after out-playing the likes of APR BC.
League results Espoir 72-85 Rusizi UGB 54-47 KIE UGB 59-78 Rusizi
League
UNR 58-86 CSK A
KIE 68-92 Espoir
UGB v APR-called off
Rusizi v Marine -called off
CSK A climbed to the top of the 2008 national basketball league table after Saturdays 86-58 win over Rwanda National University.
Rwandas shooting guard Gerol Ndugu led the way with 30 points, six rebounds and four assists as last years losing finalists wrapped up their third straight win in as many games this year.
League UNR 58-86 CSK A KIE 68-92 Espoir UGB v APR-called off Rusizi v Marine -called off
CSK A climbed to the top of the 2008 national basketball league table after Saturdays 86-58 win over Rwanda National University. Rwandas shooting guard Gerol Ndugu led the way with 30 points, six rebounds and four assists as last years losing finalists wrapped up their third straight win in as many games this year. Olivier Kanamugire added 23 points for CSK A while Eric Rwakayiro top scored for UNR with 16 points. In the other game, Claude Bizimungu and Emmanuel Uwinoni overshadowed their star player Valery Uwineza to top score for Espoir. Bizimungu scored 22 points while Uwinoni added 16 to impel Espoir to a 92-68 win over Kigali Institute of Education, their second of the season. The result also maintain KIE's horrendous run in the league. After five attempts, the institute team is yet to win a league game. And while the UGB-APR tie was called off following the death of a UGB club member, it is still not clear why the Rusizi-Marine game was not played although sources close to Times Sport say that it has something to do with some new Marine signings.
by Julius Mbaraga
Despite the pre-match hype, it turned out to be a singled-sided affair as former champions APR easily overcame arch-rivals Espoir 81-42 in the first round of the national basketball league over the weekend.
Kami Kabange topped the indomitable lions' scoring chart with 15 points while ex-Espoir forward Karim Nkusi added 12 in the convincing win.
Forward Jean Claude Bizimungu top scored for Espoir with10 points.
by Julius Mbaraga
Despite the pre-match hype, it turned out to be a singled-sided affair as former champions APR easily overcame arch-rivals Espoir 81-42 in the first round of the national basketball league over the weekend.
Kami Kabange topped the indomitable lions' scoring chart with 15 points while ex-Espoir forward Karim Nkusi added 12 in the convincing win.
Forward Jean Claude Bizimungu top scored for Espoir with10 points.
Elsewhere, defending champions Marine started their title defence in style with a sparkling 114-44 win over Kigali Institute of Education (KIE). Vincent Mukuna had a game high 43 points while Mugisha and Sinarinzi added 13 points a piece. In the other game, last year's finalists CSK A also went past the 100 mark as they thumped Basketball United Generation (BUG) 116-44. CSK A's shooting forward Gerol Ndugu peaked the scoring with 32 points to propel the club to their second victory in as many games and leave them joint leaders at the top of the league table alongside APR.
BY JULIUS MBARAGA
National Basketball League
Today
APR vs Espoir
Sunday
Marine vs KIE
CSK A vs BUG
It will be firework today at Amahoro indoor stadium as Rwandas basketball powerhouse APR take on bitter rivals Espoir in the first round of this years National basketball league this morning.
The two giants got off to a good start last weekend and pressure will be high as they try to preserve the good start.
BY JULIUS MBARAGA
National Basketball League
Today APR vs Espoir
Sunday Marine vs KIE CSK A vs BUG
It will be firework today at Amahoro indoor stadium as Rwandas basketball powerhouse APR take on bitter rivals Espoir in the first round of this years National basketball league this morning. The two giants got off to a good start last weekend and pressure will be high as they try to preserve the good start. APR lost the league title to Marine last year while Espoir last won it in 2004.
In the other mens games, reigning champions Marine are fired up to defend their title beginning with a season-opening encounter against hosts Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) this Sunday. Marine ejected CSK A 3-0 in the best of five play-off final series enroute to winning their first league title last year and skipper Fiston Bertrand Muhire (193-F-84) is hoping for a good start this term. 'We had a good season last year and we are looking forward to an even better one this year'. Bertrand Muhire, who was a contender for last years MVP (Most Valuable Player) said.
KIE who got off to a nightmare start last weekend with defeats against CSK A and Rwanda National University (UNR) have to be at their best if they want to make any meaningful challenge tomorrow. Elsewhere, CSK A will take on Basketball United Generation (BUG).
Rwandan forward Joe Muvuna signed to play for Loyola in Maryland after prepping in Massachusetts at the Worcester Academy.
The 6-8 forward is still learning the game but should add presence under Greyhounds' boards with his shot-blocking ability.
Muvuna arrived from Nevada's Bishop Gorman High School to Worcester, where he was not able to play due to state transfer restrictions.
Rwandan forward Joe Muvuna signed to play for Loyola in Maryland after prepping in Massachusetts at the Worcester Academy. The 6-8 forward is still learning the game but should add presence under Greyhounds' boards with his shot-blocking ability. Muvuna arrived from Nevada's Bishop Gorman High School to Worcester, where he was not able to play due to state transfer restrictions. Fellow Rwandan Fernand Rwanteli, a 6-11 center, decided to return to Alabama (he enrolled eventually at the American Christian Academy) to his previous school as well after being declared ineligible in the state of Nevada. He should also sign with a D1-school anytime soon.
The junior basketball team won a close contest against the Zone V champions 87:81. After that Rwanda National University and Kigali Institute of Education were also defeated.
In the game against Rwanda National University that the juniors won 57:38, they were being handled by the national senior basketball coach Kavedjiga Vaceslave. Rwanda National University beat Kigali Institute of Education 79:63 to finish second at the preliminary stage.
The junior basketball team won a close contest against the Zone V champions 87:81. After that Rwanda National University and Kigali Institute of Education were also defeated. In the game against Rwanda National University that the juniors won 57:38, they were being handled by the national senior basketball coach Kavedjiga Vaceslave. Rwanda National University beat Kigali Institute of Education 79:63 to finish second at the preliminary stage. The two week tournament was a part of the juniors' continued preparations for the African Cup of Nations qualifiers due in May. Rob Thomson (208-C-82, college: Fairfield) and his Gaz Metan Medias is 13-10 in Romanian league. In the last game his team bet BCM Pitesti 90:71. That was a crucial game for both teams. Medias was in need of a win to secure a playoff berth, Pitesti was still hoping to reach the last playoff spot with 3 wins in the last 3 rounds. Medias reached the playoffs for the second time in a row, ironically in front of the team who swept them last year in the first round of the postseason. Medias didn't give any chance to the opponents, leading from start to finish, Zeljko Bubanja and Rob Thomson combined for 31 points and 21 boards, being a dominating force in the paint. But the big difference in this game was made by forward Tudor Dumitrescu who scored 15 of his 28 points from beyond the arc. Pitesti had 4 players in double figures, but that didn't helped too much. Paul Helcioiu had a horrible night with 5-15 from the field and 5 turnovers, scoring 16 points. Chris Garnett had 17 points and 4 rebounds and Bojan Gnjato posted a double double with 15 points and 13 boards. So Pitesti, from the second place of the podium last year is going to the playoffs, where in the first round they will meet a team coming from the second league. Medias meanwhile is trying to win the remaining games to avoid Ploiesti or Sibiu in the first round of the playoffs.
Local basketball federation, Ferwaba is planning to organize a tournament in memory of two fallen figures, Jean de Dieu Nizeyimana and Aimable Shampiyona.
The one-week tournament is scheduled to start on March 29 and run through April 6 in Kigali.
According to a Ferwafa senior official, the event is being organized to honor both Nizeyimana and Shampiyona both of them played major roles in developing the sport in the country.
Local basketball federation, Ferwaba is planning to organize a tournament in memory of two fallen figures, Jean de Dieu Nizeyimana and Aimable Shampiyona. The one-week tournament is scheduled to start on March 29 and run through April 6 in Kigali. According to a Ferwafa senior official, the event is being organized to honor both Nizeyimana and Shampiyona both of them played major roles in developing the sport in the country. 'We are organizing this tournament for the first time with plans to make it an annul event,' Ferwaba Secretary General Jean Lucien Mugabo said yesterday. Both Nizeyimana and Shampiyona are credited for fostering basketball in Lycee de Kigali, one of the leading high schools in the country as well as the current league side GBU. By the time of his sudden death, which shocked the entire local basketball fraternity last year, Nizeyimana was serving as assistant national team coach. All local clubs and their senior sides have been invited to take part in the tournament that will be staged at Amahoro indoor stadium courts. So far, nine clubs including six in the boys' category and three in the girls' have confirmed their participation. APR, Rwanda National University (UNR), KIE, Espoir, CSK A and the national Junior team in the boys' while APR, UNR and a specially formed federation team in the girls'. By Timothy MUVUNYI
The National Heroes tournament reaches semifinal stage
by Eurobasket News - Mar 12, 2008
It's a high time for basketball in Rwanda now. The annual National Heroes tournament got under way in Kigali with some top-ranked Rwandese squads fighting for the prize. APR, Marine, CSKA and Espoir booked their semifinal tickets qualifying from two preliminary groups. All of these four squads were widely taken as favorites at the start and proved their status claiming victories in respective groups. CSKA won the contest in Group A.
It's a high time for basketball in Rwanda now. The annual National Heroes tournament got under way in Kigali with some top-ranked Rwandese squads fighting for the prize. APR, Marine, CSKA and Espoir booked their semifinal tickets qualifying from two preliminary groups. All of these four squads were widely taken as favorites at the start and proved their status claiming victories in respective groups. CSKA won the contest in Group A. They beat Kigali Institute of Education team to open the tournament. Later CSKA surpassed the Junior Rwandan National team to top the ladder. Junior National team took part in the competition as a part of their preparation for the upcoming Africa Junior Cup of Nations that tips off in April. The defending champs APR finished at the second spot in the group to advance to the playoffs. Rwanda national champs Marine were successful in Group B. They overcame Espoir, Rwanda National University and Basketball United Generation to clinch the top seed. Espoir in the meantime was victorious in two games and joined Marine as the second semifinalist from the group. The semis are scheduled for the weekend at the Amahoro Indoor Stadium. After the local teams finish the first part of the competition they will be joined by a couple of invited teams from all around Africa. Some teams from DR Congo, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya were rumored to take part.
