REG Basketball Club star point guard Adonis Filer is optimistic that his side has got every motivation to leave it all on the floor ahead of BAL playoff clash against Egyptian side Al Ahly come Saturday, May 20, at BK Arena.
Kigali will be hosting the tournament’s playoffs for the third time in a row and the Rwandan champions are now looking confident of putting up the show ahead of Saturday’s game after an impressive performance from their buildup games with local side APR BBC.
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"I feel motivated,” Filer told Times Sport in an interview, adding, "We know that the fans are going to come out and are going to pack the house, so we just really want to put on a big show for all Rwandan fans coming to the game and show us support. We want to get that win for the country.”
Asked about the preparations, Filer said that the team has had ‘more than enough time’ preparing for the playoffs, except Ulrich Chomche who joined the group later on Monday.
"We got our young guy back from the NBA Academy, so we were full, we got all our guys, but before that we've had everybody except for him. So we have been able to prepare.”
The American insists REG will be heading to the game with the same mindset to "go out and perform so we can win this game,” adding that Saturday’s test is a do or die for ‘the reds’.
"You can't win the championship without winning the first game. So we just focus on one game and after we take care of business, then turn focus on the next one.”
The game of basketball, he said, is a game of ups and downs, "but we just want the fans to stay with us when we go through our down moments in the game as well as when we go through our up moments in the game”
In good shape
REG played three buildup games against APR BBC, a team which Cleveland Thomas Jr said has helped his team raise the game and get in good shape.
"I believe our team’s chemistry is getting better too. So I feel like we are prepared and we're going to keep preparing until Saturday,” he said.
"We are going in this confidently, ready to play and the best team will come out victorious.”
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REG final roster
Cleveland Joseph Thomas Jr, Adonis Jovon Filer, Pitchou Manga, Jean Jacques Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, Dieudonné Ndizeye Ndayisaba, Olivier Shyaka, Steven Hagumintwari, Ulrich Chomche, Ntore Habimana, Axel Mpoyo, Pascal Niyonkuru, Delwan Graham and Jean de Dieu Umuhoza.