FridayIPRC-Kigali 94-66 UGBPatriots 65-51 Espoir

Basketball league defending champions Patriots continued their winning streak after overpowering title rivals Espoir 65-51 on Friday night at Amahoro Indoor Stadium.

Fresh from a massive win last week against debutants Rwanda Energy Group (REG), Henry Mwinuka’s team again sent a chilling message to their next opponents, thanks to Junior Ambol’s 19 points that guided the Kagugu-based side to a third successive win.

Four-time league winners Espoir were unbeaten in three games were hoping to make it four in a row but Patriots had other ideas of their own.

Nyamirambo-based Espoir the game well and dominated Patriots with the help of Brian Banze (7 points) and Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza (4 points) they took the first quarter 16-14.

For Patriots, who, in the last three games, have proved to be slow starters, bounced back, led by Elie Kaje and Junior Ambol, took the second quarter 18-15.

Both sides returned for the second half, searching for more points to open a comfortable gap, however; they both managed 13 points each in the third quarter.

However, the defending champions, who have become the masters of the fourth quarter, again did what they normally do better and took the last quarter 20-7. Olivier Shyaka was Espoir’s top scorer dropping 12 points.

Despite the loss, Espoir remain on top with 6 points in four games followed by IPRC-Kigali, who tamed struggling UGB 94-55, with 6 points in three games, while APR are third and Patriots remain in fourth place also with six points.

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