FIBA-Africa Zone V: Patriots out, City Oilers and Ulinzi face-off in final

Today: Men 5-6 place playoffUCU (UG) vs Espoir (Rwa) 8am 3-4 place playoffPatriots (Rwa) vs USIU (KEN) 4pm FinalCity Oilers (UG) vs Ulinzi (KEN) 6pm WomenUCU (UG) vs USIU (KEN) 10amKPA (KEN) vs KCCA (UG) 12pmJKT vs Don Bosco 2pm Thursday selected results Men: semi-final 1Patriots (Rwa) 62-64 Ulinzi (KEN) Semi-final 2City Oilers 76-34 USIU Rwanda’s Patriots suffered a heartbreaking 64-62 defeat at the hands of Kenya’s Ulinzi Warriors in the semi-finals of the 2016 FIBA-Africa Zone V Club Championships on Thursday evening hence ending their hopes to qualify for FIBA-Africa Club Championships. Ulinzi will faceoff Uganda’s powerhouse City Oilers in the final on Friday evening, starting at 6pm and the winner will qualify for the continent’s biggest basketball club competition. Debutants Patriots had progressed from their group as leaders with a 100% record. The two sides finished the first quarter tied on 18 points apiece before Ulinzi, which looked compact defensively and more aggressive going on the offensive, took the lead of the second quarter 33-26. In the first five minutes of the third quarter, Ulinzi increased the gap by nine points and the quarter ended 44-38 in favour of the Kenyan military side. However; with four minutes to go, Patriots captain Ali Kubwimana dropped a big three-pointer but were denied by match officials, who insisted that the ball did not go through the basket; however, it was proved right by the match video after the game but the officials had already made the decision. Patriots dominated the final quarter but unfortunately lost the game 62-64. Shooting guards Elie Kaje dropped a game high 16 while Chris Walter Nkurunziza contributed 15 points. “It is very sad to bow out of the competition when you have actually won, we tried to claim but match officials told us that it too late, we have to take as it is but it is not fair at all,” said Patriots assistant coach Claude Mukurarinda. Patriots will face USIU in the third place playoff at 4pm—both sides met in the group and the Rwandan league champions won 71-57. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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FIBA-Africa Zone V: Patriots out, City Oilers and Ulinzi face-off in final