PATRIOTS Basketball Club coach Henry Mwinuke has named his provisional squad for the upcoming FIBA Africa Zone V Club Championships scheduled to take place from October 1 to 7 at Lugogo Indoor Arena in Kampala, Uganda.

Rwanda will be represented by three teams, Patriots and IPRC- South in the men’s category while APR will be the sole representatives in the women’s fray.

 This year’s edition is expected to be contested by a total of 19 teams from eight regional countries.

Patriots, the 2016 league champions, will be making their third consecutive appearance in the regional clubs’ flagship tournament. The club debuted in the 2015 edition staged in Kigali where they finished third before failing to advance to knock-out stages in 2016 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Patriots, who won the local league playoffs title, have set themselves a target of winning this year’s FIBA Africa Zone V Club Championships. Uganda’s City Oilers are the defending champions.

Espoir was Rwanda’s last side to win the competition in 2012, the last time it was held in Kampala.

 Espoir also reached the final in 2013 in Bujumbura but lost to home side, Urunani.

APR Men’s basketball club is Rwanda’s most successful side in the annual regional competition, having won it three times; 2003, 2007 and 2010.

The week-long tournament will also serve as regional qualifiers for the FIBA Africa Club Championship finals to be hosted in Casablanca, Morocco in December.

Patriots’ provisional squad:

Aristide Mugabe (captain), Sedar Sagamba, Walter Nkurunziza, Steve Havugintwari, Lionel Hakizimana, Didier Ishimwe, Joseph Bukuru, Olivier Kamilindi, Elie Kaje, Jean de Dieu Ntagunduka and Kami Kabange

editorial@newtimes.co.rw