Basketball in Africa

BY JULIUS MBARAGA

National Basketball League (NBL)

Sunday
UGB v Espoir (11am) –Amahoro
APR v KIE (1pm)

–Amahoro
CSK v UNR (11am) – Huye
Rusizi v Marine (11am) – Rusizi

LAST Saturday’s humiliating defeat against Cliff Owuor’s indomitable lions could be a motivating factor for Espoir when they take on lowly Basketball United Generation (UGB) in a national basketball league encounter this Sunday at Amahoro Indoor courts.

The 2004 champions crumbled to their second defeat of the season after a 39-70 defeat against APR who are chasing for their fourth title in five years.

Having also fallen to CSK (54-58) the weekend before, Arsene Mukubwa’s side have to pick themselves up as fast as they can to remain in contention for a play-offs slot. A date with struggling UGB couldn’t have come at a better time.
Former Marine skipper Fiston Muhire (with the ball) will lead CSK’s charge against UNR
UGB are still looking for their maiden win this season after losing their opening four ties but Mukubwa believes that they can still put up a tough fight.
“We still expect UGB to come fighting hard against us so we have to be very prepared and hope we get this win,” the Espoir coach said. In the other ties, APR and Marine are looking for their fifth successive wins of the campaign.
APR entertain Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) at Amahoro while Marine travel to Rusizi.

CSK are also away to National University of Rwanda (UNR).