National carrier RwandAir, in partnership with the Basketball Africa League (BAL), on Friday, May 31, hosted a 3x3 basketball clinic game between Patriots BBC and United Generation Basketball (UGB) at Kigali Universe. ALSO READ: RwandAir plans expansion to three new African routes The clinic, aimed at promoting basketball in Africa, was attended by RwandAir staff, BAL representatives, basketball players, and other guests. RwandAir in May 2023 signed a five-year deal to become BAL’s official airline, facilitating travel for selected BAL teams and staff. The national carrier, through the partnership, transported teams that traveled to Rwanda for the BAL playoffs in Kigali. The playoffs commenced on Friday, May 24, and will conclude on Saturday, June 1 as Angola’s Petro de Luanda and Libya’s Al Ahly rub shoulders in the final. During the clinic event, RwandAir’s Acting Chief Operating Officer Ernest Mushi pledged extended support for basketball development in Africa. “It has really been a fantastic week with high-quality basketball games in Kigali. I thank everyone who attended this event, from the players to our partners at BAL,” Mushi said. “This is just the beginning. One of our goals in starting this partnership is to facilitate the smooth and rapid development of basketball not only in Rwanda but across the continent. Through this BAL partnership, we see a clear path to achieving it,” he added. The 3x3 basketball clinic game which went in favor of 2021 BAL semifinalists Patriots, ended with a performance by Rwandan musician Juno Kizigenza. RwandAir is renowned for its excellent on-time performance, customer service, and safety. It also boasts one of the youngest fleets on the African continent, with 13 aircraft, including three wide-body Airbus A330s.
