Today

APR vs Espoir 6pmPatriots vs IPRC-Kigali 8pm

Saturday

Men

Rusizi vs U18 Boys Team10am

Women

The Hoops vs Ubumwe 12pm

The National Basketball League resumes on Friday evening with two big games involving the top three sides. Reigning champions Espoir face APR while hopefuls Patriots face tricky IPRC-Kigali, both games at Amahoro indoor stadium.

The championship returns after a two-week break due to the commemoration week of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. The biggest game of the round pits third-placed IPRC-Kigali with 24 points from 14 games against Patriots, who are fourth with 21 points from 11 games.

"We need to play to our best and enjoy ourselves on court. The players are in good form and we need not to underestimate the opponent, IPRC-Kigali is a tough side to play against, so we need to be careful,” Patriots’ coach Henry Mwinuke told Times Sport.

The Tanzanian trainer is confident that he can win the league title with Patriots in his first season in charge. The IPRC-Kigali vs Patriots game will be preceded by the clash between two old enemies, APR and Espoir, starting at 6pm.

IPRC-South tops the table with 25 points, level with four-time reigning champions Espoir, IPRC-Kigali is third with 23 points, two ahead of Patriots in fourth place albeit with three games in hand, while United Generation Basketball (UGB) complete top five with 20 points from 13 games.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw