The 2021 edition of the preseason basketball tournament will kick off on April 23 2021, Rwanda Basketball Federation (Ferwaba) has confirmed.

The development was confirmed by Landry Jabo the executive director of Ferwaba in an exclusive interview with Times Sport on Monday, March 29 after Ferwaba got permission from the Ministry of Sports to start sports activities.

Initially, the Bank of Kigali basketball league was scheduled for April 2 as a tentative date. But it was postponed because the teams had not yet started training.

Jabo noted that the official dates for the new season will be announced after the pre-season tournament.

"The preseason tournament will start on April 23 and the teams that have not yet submitted how they will abide by the government guidelines to prevent against covid-19 must do so by March 31 so that they are allowed to begin training,” Jabo said.

Patriots Basketball Club won last season’s league trophy after beating local powerhouse REG.

Similarly, in the women’s league, the Hoops Rwanda clinched the club’s maiden championship.

Fourteen teams will battle it out in the men’s category while six teams will take part in the women’s fray.

The teams in the men’s category are: REG, Patriots, APR, IPRC- Huye, IPRC-Kigali, United Generations for Basketball, Espoir, Rusizi, Tigers, Shoot for The Stars, IPRC-Musanze, UR-CMHS, 30 Plus and UR-Huye.

Those that will compete in the women’s category include; IPRC-South, Ubumwe, The Hoops, APR, Group Scolaire Marie Reine Rwaza and UR-Huye.