Patriots aim to keep pace as hoops league returns

Friday Patriots vs UGB 6pm League leaders Patriots Basketball Club will be seeking to pick up from where they left off when the national league returns this Friday.

Monday, April 13, 2015
United Generation Basketball (Green) won the corresponding fixture against Patriots (Blue). (Sam Ngendahimana)

Friday

Patriots vs UGB 6pm

League leaders Patriots Basketball Club will be seeking to pick up from where they left off when the national league returns this Friday.

The national basketball league, like the rest of local sports activities, had been frozen for a week as the country was mourning and remembering the 1994 victims of Genocide against Tutsi from April 7 to 13.

The league’s new entrants, Patriots BC will face joint table leaders United Generation Basketball (UGB) on Friday evening at NPC Gymnasium at 6pm. Both sides are tied on 17 points apiece at the helm of the league log after ten games.

Out of ten games, Patriots have won seven and lost three against reigning champions Espoir, IPRC-Kigali and UGB, and will go into Friday’s game seeking for, according to their head coach Cyrille Kalima.

"We need to keep winning consistently, we have the momentum and we need to keep it for as long as possible and also strive to getter every day if we want to earn a slot in the play-offs. Friday’s game against UGB is crucial for us; it’s a must-win,” Kalima told Times Sport on Monday.

He also added that, "UGB are a very strong team, we won’t take anything for granted. We are preparing well for the game and I hope the players will be ready for the battle.”

After Friday’s game, both sides will be back in action on Sunday with Patriots entertaining struggling UR- College of Education at Amahoro indoor stadium while UGB will be up against last year’s first runners-up Cercle Sportif de Kigali (CSK) at 1pm at the same venue.

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