Owuor looks to beef up squad

WITH a tough season ahead, Rwanda’s basketball giants APR know that it is paramount for them to beef up their squad. Cliff Owuor, the club’s most celebrated coach yesterday revealed to Times Sport that certain positions in the team need strengthening. “We need extra bodies in certain positions like the point guard, shooting guard and centre,” the ex-Kenyan International said. Owuor needs to add to the team’s creativity after reports that the club will be seeing little of point guard Charles Rukabu ‘Nunu’ due to a tight work schedule. Rukabu has been sharing the team’s creative role with Burundi’s Blaise Nikobahoze and Aboubacar Barame. “We need a replacement because Nunu is busy with work and won’t be with us anymore,” he said. Even with two formidable shooting guards in Mike Buzangu, who joined the club last season from DR. Congo’s Mazembe and veteran Mputu Badibanga, Owuor still feels that he needs to sign an extra player as cover and the same applies for the centre position. The centre position already boasts of two aggressive players in Abidani Bisankuri and Kami Kabange. Although the Kenyan tactician declined to give names, he said that he was targeting two players, who feature in the local league and two beyond the country’s borders. “Two of those players are here while the others are outside,” he added. With the club’s rich success on the local and the regional scene coupled with their big financial muscle, it is believed that the club will lure any player they are interested in. Last year, APR convincingly reclaimed the national championship title from Marine. It was Owuor’s third league title in four attempts. The indomitable lions also successfully defended their Zone 5 title in Ethiopia after a clean sweep. On top of the league and Zone 5 championship, APR is desperate to make an impression at this year’s African Club Championship which is likely to be held in Kigali. Ends

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Owuor looks to beef up squad