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IPRC-South Vs Rusizi 2pm IPRC-Kigali Vs UGB 4pm

IPRC-Kigali and United Generation Basketball (UGB) will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s defeats when the two sides face-off in the national basketball league on Saturday at Amahoro Indoor Stadium.

The Kicukiro-based Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center- Kigali suffered a narrow 84-81 loss at hands of former champions APR in the season opener last Saturday, while youthful UGB were beaten 82-66 by title hopefuls Patriots.

Unlike IPRC- Kigali, who were busy in the market to strengthen the squad for new season, UGB made no new recruitments in the transfer window.

IPRC-Kigali’s new signings include; Burundians Gilbert Nijimbere from New Star and Tony Nijimbere from Dynamo as well as Enock Isezero from UGB, Olivier Kamanzi from Cercle Sportifs de Kigali (CSK) and Emile Uwiringiyimana from APR.

"We were unlucky to lose the opening game against APR; we can’t afford a second consecutive defeat. It is very important that we win against UGB; victory will boost our morale and confidence. We can’t undermine our opponents,” IPRC- Kigali head trainer Albert Buhake told Saturday Sport.

In another game, scheduled for today, IPRC-South will host Rusizi in Huye. Charles Mushumba’s IPRC-South will be looking to make it two wins in a row after stunning four-time national champions Espoir 64-59 last Saturday. Rusizi will be playing their first league match in the new season.

The 2017/2018 men’s national basketball championship will be contested by eight teams, down from ten teams last season after the withdrawal of University of Rwanda – Huye Campus and Cercle Sportif de Kigali.

The remaining eight league sides are; Rwanda Energy Group (title holders), Patriots (Play-off champions), Espoir, APR, IPRC-Kigali, IPRC-South, UGB and Rusizi.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw