2008 league

APR        78-48   UNR

ESPOIR    78-65  BUG

CSKA       99-51  KIE

KIE          63-87 UNR

2004 league champions Espoir opened their 2008 league campaign in style after racing to a 78-65 home victory over United Generation Basketball Club (BUG) at Rafiki on Saturday.

Despite BUG’s Louis Mugunga scoring a game high 23 points, Espoir toppled the latter thanks to Rwanda’s international Valery Uwineza who lead the fallen giants’ insurgency scoring 18 points and receiving good support from Jean Claude Bizimungu who finished off with 17 points and four assists.

"This is a very big win for us because it will determine how we fair for the rest of the season,” Uwineza told Times Sport.

Also on Saturday, the Indomitable Lions of APR cruised to a 78-48 victory over Rwanda National University at Kimisagara.

Chalichali Kimanuka scored 14 points to lead the 2006 champions’ assault. The Indomitable lions had a slow start but quickly roared back into the game.

"We just came back with a lot more energy,” APR’s captain Kimanuka said. Else where, Kigali Institute of Education suffered a double tragedy after falling to last year’s finalists CSK A and UNR.

CSK A fell just a point short of 100 points as it took KIE through training drills with an imposing 99-51 victory while UNR bounced back from Saturday’s defeat against APR with a hard-earned 87-63 victory on Sunday.

"It’s been a good start and we are optimistic that the performance will be high this season,” said innocent Karuhije, the Rwanda Basketball Federation, Ferwaba technical advisor.

Defending champions Marine open their title defense this Saturday while the ladies’ basketball action throws off on May 20.

Ends