Basketball in Africa

Today, Men
APR     vs     Uranani     9am
Muzinga     vs     Warriors     11am
Urunani     vs     CSK     5pm
Muzinga     vs     Espoir    7pm

Women
Ubumwe     vs     RAPP     9am
APR     vs     PJB     11am
TEN CLUBS are battling for the title in this year’s Gisembe memorial basketball tournament, which got underway on Friday at Amahoro Indoor stadium court.
The tournament started last evening with two matches – Cercle Sportif de Kigali (CSK) against APR in group A, while hosts Espoir were due to take on Uganda’s Warriors in group B in men’s category.
It continues today with four matches on card in the men’s category and two matches in the women category.
Tournament organisers and favourites Espoir will be keen to add another title to the league and playoffs success to wrap up what would be the club’s most memorable season, according to head coach Jean Bahufite.
Bahufite told Saturday Sport recently, “We are determined to win this tournament, we have been prepared well and hope we will do better than we have done in recent years.”
The league champions have already strengthened their squad with point guard Lionel Hakizimana from archrivals APR and forward Olivier Shyaka from last year’s champions Kigali Basketball Club.
The 10 teams taking part in the tournament include three from Rwanda in men’s category and three in the women category, while other four teams are from Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.
The Rwandan teams are Espoir, APR and defending champions Circle Sportif de Kigali; then Muzinga and Urumuri from Burundi and Warriors from Uganda in the men’s category.
The women’s category will have APR, RAPP and National University of Rwanda, and Promotion Jeunesse Basketball from DRC.

The annual tournament is held in honour of Espoir players and officials, who were killed during the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Contact email: bonnie.mugabe[at]newtimes.co.rw