Friday Patriots 105-83 IPRC-Kigali Espoir 93-60 UGB

SEDAR Sagamba grabbed 28 points, five rebounds and 2 assists as Patriots began the league title defence with a comfortable 105-83 win over IPRC- Kigali at Amahoro Stadium on Friday.

The fast pace of the champions combined with defense lapses and poor shooting of IPRC- Kigali saw Patriots taking an early 27-12 first quarter lead before the latter bounced back to take the second quarter 31-22 and go into half-time with a 49-43 deficit.

IPRC- Kigali small forward Bruno Nyamwasa scored 22 points and guard Gilbert Nijimbere added 19 points and 10 rebounds but the two-man effort was nowhere near enough to save the day for the Kicukiro-based side.

Henry Mwinuke’s Patriots claimed the third and fourth quarter 25-22 and 31-18, respectively.

Steven Havugintwari (18), Micheal Makiadi (17) and Dieudonne Ndizeye (16) contributed a combined 51 points to the win.

In the meantime, former champions Espoir also registered a triumphant start into the 2018-19 Bank of Kigali National Basketball League with a 93-60 victory over United Generation Basketball (UGB) at Amahoro stadium.

The Nyamirambo-based dominated the game from the off, winning all the four quarters; 25-17, 23-20, 18-17, 27-6, respectively.

Newly appointed team captain Emile Galois Kazeneza dropped a game high 22 points while Burundian prodigy Armel Sangwe added 20 points.

UGB’s duo of Frank Dushimimana and Alain David Berimana scored 15 points apiece.

On Saturday, preseason tournament winners REG were due to face IPRC- South in Huye District while, in women’s category, IPRC- South would also host APR in Huye District.

By press time, the two games were yet to get underway.

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