Basketball in Africa

Sunday
NUR 90-70 Rusizi
KIE 61-58 CSK
UGB   40-104   Espoir
Saturday
UGB 60-49 KIE
30-Plus 68-84 Rusizi
Friday
KBC 78-87 APR

Espoir thrashed United Generation Basketball 104-40 on Sunday Circle Sportif de Kigali courts to finish the first round of national basketball league with an unbeaten record. The three-time league champions lead the table standing with 16 points while APR and Kigali Basketball Club followed in second and third, tied on 14 points.

Aristide Mugabe scored a game high 34 points and Bienvenu Ngandu added 18 points while Kami Kabange managed to score 14 points for Espoir. Cassay was United Generation Basketball’s top scorer with 14 points.

Espoir looked strong from the start, running away with the first quarter 31-6, UGB tried to fight in the second but still went down 18-11.

The league favourites stormed to the third quarter 32-13 but lost a bit of their rhythm in the fourth quarter, losing it 20-23.

In the other games played on Sunday, the National University of Rwanda were too good for Rusizi, beating 90-78 while Kigali Institute of Education stunned Circle Sportif de Kigali 61-58.

On Saturday, UGB beat Kigali Institute of Education 60-49, while Rusizi beat 30-Plus 84-68. Defending champions Kigali Basketball Club were beaten by APR 78-87.

The second round starts in three weeks’ time.