APR awarded walk-over, Marine risks ban

Play offs
Final
Men: APR awarded
default points
Women: APR register
3-0 series win

JUST when everybody anticipated a gripping play offs final series, Marine foiled the moment when they failed to show up at the newly refurbished Amahoro Indoor Stadium.

The defending champions, who were scheduled to clash with arch rivals APR in the first of five games on Saturday, recklessly stayed back at their home town, Gisenyi.

The local basketball governing body, Ferwaba consequently awarded APR default points and the championship.

Marine could now face serious disciplinary action for the misconduct.

One Ferwaba official who preferred anonymity said that Marine’s behavior was unacceptable.

"It is very unfortunate that Marine (one of the top clubs in the country) can do something like this. We (federation) still don’t have any information as to why they did not come,” the official fumed.

Times Sport yesterday spoke to Marine’s coach Janvier Kamanzi who said that the team could not travel due to financial constraints.

"The team did not have enough funds to cater for its transport and accommodation costs,” Kamanzi who was an assistant to APR’s coach Cliff Owuor before joining Marine said.

It is the second time a team has squandered the play offs. In the semi-finals, Rusizi handed APR a free pass to the finals after failing to show up.

However, it is still unclear what decisions have been reached by Ferwaba.

Meanwhile, APR’s women side capped a thrilling play offs display with a massive 83-44 game ‘three’ victory over the National University of Rwanda (UNR) to seal off a straight series win.

The result means that APR retain the league title. In the first two games of the final series, APR had registered 51-33 and 65-51 victories.

Ends