APR Basketball Club new signing Obadiah Noel dazzled stunning glimpses of his quality when he stole the show at the basketball Genocide Memorial Tournament (GMT) that concluded at BK Arena over the weekend.
The Rwandan champions announced the signing of Noel, alongside Abdullah Ahmed, both from Westchester Knicks of the NBA G-League on Friday, April 19 and they immediately involved in the team’s quest for GMT trophy.
Noel had his first Cameo for APR against Rwanda Energy Group (REG) in the semifinals and he wasted no time to prove his worth to his new employers. He made an impact to the team’s 96-66 convincing win over last-time GMT winners REG, contributing an impressive 26 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists.
He also scored 13 points and added 3 rebounds as APR beat Patriots 80-63 in Saturday night’s final to win the tournament.
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One of the qualities that the American guard showcased on the court was his effective shooting accuracy as he made four three-pointers from eight attempts, as well as four two-pointers from nine attempts on his debut appearance (vs REG). He also made three three-pointers from eight times attempts against Patriots in the finals.
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Noel is a good scoring point guard who can score off the dribble, get to the line, and make outside shots at a solid clip.
During his National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) days, he had a game where he shot eight two pointers from nine attempts.
During his NCAA career, he became the second player to surpass 1,500 points for UMass Lowell River Hawks men's basketball during the Division 1 era.
Prior to BAL Sahara Conference, APR management and fans alike, feel that Noel can fill the void left by American point guard Michael Dixon who joined Al Itihad Alexandria in March.
The Maryland-born may arguably be a key point guard who has shown potential to do much better in Dakar as soon his chemistry with the likes of Adonis Filer, Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza and Ntore Habimana works to perfection.
Meanwhile, APR also signed Abdullah Ahmed, an Egyptian center who plays for the same team as Noel.
Ahmed, 21, is a six-foot eleven (2.1m) center who is expected to bolster APR’s prowess in the paint, offensively and defensively.
APR is one of four teams that will play the Sahara Conference from May 4-12 in Dakar, Senegal. Other teams include BAL Season 2 champions US Monastir (Tunisia), Nigerian champions Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria) and 2023 runners-up AS Douanes (Senegal).