Final APR 74-48 Espoir Cliff Owuor’s Indomitable Lions eased to a comfortable 74-48 win over fallen giants Espoir on Sunday to retain this year’s Gisembe Memorial tournament played at Amahoro Indoor stadium. Despite a close contest after the opening two quarters (29-24), the defending champions opened up their scoring wheels in the third and fourth quarter to leave the tournament organizers, Espoir stunned. Mike Buzangu, Bienvenue Ngandu and Abidan Bisankuri were all in top form for the army side that used the tournament as a build up for next month’s Fiba-Africa Men Club Championships in Tunisia. Walking into the tournament as clear favorites, APR lived up to the billing with some thrilling performances in the two-day tournament. At the preliminary stage, APR took Goma Bulls of DR. Congo by the horns with two well executed victories. In the first game, APR posted an 83-38 win before registering a more convincing 103-35 win in game two. The annual tournament attracted four clubs; APR, Espoir, Basketball United Generation (BUG) and Goma Bulls. Last year, APR ousted Espoir after a tightly contested game 74-71. Gisembe Memorial is an annual tournament organized and funded by Espoir basketball club in memory of their players, officials and fans but specifically their all-time great Gisembe Ntawugera a victim of the 1994 Tutsi Genocide. Ends
