Fans of Rwanda Energy Group (REG) and APR basketball club are anticipating an epic showdown as the pair go head to head in the best of seven series finals with Game 1 due Friday, September 1, at BK Arena.
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The basketball fraternity is still in awe of the statement that APR recently left when they destroyed Patriots on a 3-0 record in in the best of five series semi-finals, to set up a final with REG.
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As the two teams – APR and REG prepare to rub shoulders, here are a couple of aspect where the finals could be won, on one side, or lost, on the other side.
Rich history Vs current hot cakes
APR is the most decorated team in Rwandan basketball history with 13 championships, while REG has been a dominant force in Rwandan basketball over the past three years, where they won two back to back league trophies and represented the country at two consecutive Basketball Africa League (BAL) editions.
APR won the national championship in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009 and represented Rwanda at the FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup three times, before it was phased out as the BAL came in.
Meanwhile, REG was only established in 2016, and won their first title the following year. The team has achieved good things on the national level and the continental scene in as few years as possible.
Will APR return to the champions’ podium? Will REG’s current dominance stay on?
Fingers remain crossed.
A battle of two American masterminds
As the two rivals get set for the basketball battle, their American coaches will also be on the courtside giving instructions to the players, trying to make sure that their team comes out on top.
REG is coached by Dean Murray, a tactician who boasts experience of coaching at the BAL in addition to other leagues including the Japanese Basketball Japan League, and in China.
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At APR’s helm is Mazen Trakh, an immensely seasoned tactician who previously coached in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as an assistant coach for Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons between 2010 and 2014.
Though Trakh is clearly expected to be a key positive for the army side, there is no room for complacency because Murray knows more about African basketball, having first coached in Rwanda in 2020 and won a championship with the Patriots.
Defensive team Vs Scoring team
In the last three playoffs games that each team has played, REG have showed their scoring prowess, netting 274 points against Espoir, while APR scored 201 points against the Patriots.
However, on the defensive side of things, APR seems to be the better side, having conceded 174 points compared to 192 points scored against REG.
In basketball, it is very important for teams to have a well-organized defense, because it plays a key role not only in avoiding the damage that the opponent can inflict, but also improves you scoring by generating faster breaks and easy shots.
Fans hope to see how APR’s defense will cope with REG’s free scoring players like Adonis Filer, a guard who can score in many positions on the court, and center Pitchou Manga who always makes his weight felt in the paint.