Patriots beat IPRC-South in Heroes Day tourney

Sunday MenPatriots 81-59 IPRC-SouthREG 55-52 APR WomenAPR 67-57 UbumweIPRC- South 78-45 U18 National Team Rwanda international point-guard Sedar Sagamba scored 23 points on Sunday to help Patriots redeem themselves against IPRC-South in the 2018 Heroes Day basketball tournament following the shock defeat at hands of Espoir on Saturday. The 2016 league champions Patriots, who currently lead the league overpowered IPRC-South 81-58 a day after losing 58-67 against Maxime Mwiseneza’s Espoir in their opening game of the tournament. Henry Mwinuke’s side, led by star guard Sagamba and forward Dieudonné Ndizeye dominated for most of the game. IPRC-South never looked like doing what Espior had done the previous day despite their captain Bienvenu Niyonsaba scoring a game high 30 points. Patriots started the game in a scintillating style and ran away with the first quarter 21-9 and narrowly snatched the second quarter 19-18 to go into halftime break with a comfortable 40-27 lead. IPRC-South returned for the second half re-energized and tried to reduce the deficit by taking the third quarter 16-15, however; it wasn’t enough as they went on to lose 26-16 in the fourth quarter. Sagamba (23 points) and Ndizeye (21 points) combined for a total 44 points while former IPRC-Kigali star Steven Havugintwari added 9 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists for Patriots. Niyonsaba posted a game high 30 points while Burundian Fabrice Rukundo contributed 8 points, game high 8 rebounds, one block and 4 assists. In another game, reigning league champions Rwanda Energy Group (REG) defeated former champions APR 55-52. Benjamin Mukengerwa of REG scored a game high 17 points, same as APR’s Ally Ruzigande. In women’s category, title holders Ubumwe lost 67-57 to archrivals APR while IPRC-South demolished U18 National Team 81-59. The tournament will continue on Thursday with Espoir facing REG and APR taking on Patriots in the men’s category. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Patriots beat IPRC-South in Heroes Day tourney