Basketball in Africa

Today
3rd place playoffs, Game One
UR-CASS       vs      The Hoops   10am (women)
CSK               vs      APR            12pm (men)
Finals, Game One
APR               vs      Ubumwe      3pm (women)
Espoir            vs      Patriots       5pm (men)
Sunday
3rd place playoffs, Game Two
The Hoops      vs      UR-CASS    10am (Women)
APR               vs      CSK            12pm (men)
Finals, Game Two
Ubumwe         vs      APR            3pm (women)
Patriots          vs      Espoir         5pm (men)
Play-off games debutants, Patriots Basketball Club, will lock horns with title holders Espoir BBC when both giants square-off today in Game One of the best-of-five finals at Amahoro stadium at 5pm.
Jean Bahufite’s three-time reigning champions Espoir and Cyrille Kalima’s newly formed Patriots BBC set up a date for finals after edging  Cercle Sportif de Kigali (CSK) and APR in the best-of-three semi-finals last week.
Talking to Saturday Sport in a telephone interview on Friday, Patriots tactician Kalima said his players are fit and ready to face Espoir in their battle for the first trophy of the season.
“We are ready for the challenge. We are going to play our best basketball to dethrone three-time defending champions Espoir. It’s a tough call but the target is achievable,” the Former KBC head coach told this paper.
In a separate interview, Espoir’s Bahufite said his players are equally up to the task. “My players are mature, experienced and are used to such pressures. We will retain the crown for a record fourth consecutive time.”
This clash of titans will be preceded by Game One in finals of the women’s category between holders Ubumwe BBC and regular league champions APR at 3pm. All Game One fixtures today and Game Two fixtures tomorrow will be played at Amahoro indoor stadium.