APR women basketball players, on Wednesday December 7, departed for Maputo, Mozambique for the forthcoming the 2022 FIBA Africa Champions for women.

The 10-team event will take place from December 9-17.

APR have dominated the Rwanda national league for years, bagging the top prize between 2005 and 2019 before an emerging Rwanda Energy Group (REG) came to the scene to stop that impressive run in the last two year’s editions.

APR were placed third in the nine-team FIBA Africa Zone Five Club Championship held at the Benjamin Mkapa Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in September and October. They missed a direct ticket to the Africa showpiece after going down 61-39 to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the semi-finals. But they did well to shut out compatriots REG 42-39 in the bronze medal game in a closely contested game.

This effort was rewarded by FIBA Africa as it earned the Rwandan club a wild card – their first trip to the continental showpiece where they will have a chance to brush shoulders with the best.

Full squad:

Odile Tetero, Marie Laurence Imanizabayo, Martine ‘Kavende’ Umuhoza Akimana, Stacy Charlène Usanase, Sandra Kantore, Uwera Bénigne Mugisha, Assouma Uwizeye, Ange Akimana, Jordan Odette Umuhoza, Ebengo Isomi Feza, Charlotte Umugwaneza and Nelly Sandrine Nsanzabaganwa.