APR Basketball Club clinched a victory with 66-61 points against AS Douanes, significantly bolstering their chances of qualifying for the BAL Playoffs 2024.
This win held immense importance for APR as they aimed to solidify their position and confidence in the ongoing Africa Basketball League within the Sahara region, hosted in Dakar, Senegal.
Additionally, the anticipation for the upcoming series of matches to be held in Rwanda in the latter half of the month was palpable.
Their eagerness to return to the capital city was fueled by the promising job opportunity awaiting them in AS Douanes.
Following their victory over Rivers Hoopers from Nigeria, APR entered their second match with the goal of accumulating points against the formidable AS Douanes.
Captain William Robeyns emphasized “the team’s determination for personal and team growth, stating, ‘Despite facing challenges in our previous match against Rivers Hoopers, it provided us with the energy needed to win today’s crucial game against AS Douanes. Despite being bullied, we refused to be disheartened, rallying our strength to overcome the opposition, as defeat was not an option given the national pride at stake.”
American player Obadia Noel continued to showcase his prowess in the Africa Basketball League, securing 24 points and contributing 2 rebounds to support his teammates.
APR Basketball Coach, Mazen Trakh, expressed his “admiration for the progress of basketball in Africa, highlighting the remarkable performances of African players in the league and the potential for growth, especially with emerging young talents.”
On the other hand, Rivers Hoopers triumphed over US Monastir 84-63. Rivers Hoopers have won all three of their games, while US Monastir is still struggling to secure their first win since the beginning of this tournament.
As for Douanes, after completing two matches against Rivers Hoopers and APR, they remained formidable, aiming to secure victory against Us Monastir to progress to the next stage.
The Sahara Conference tournament at Dakar Arena commenced with six matches, with six more to follow, and expectations of two to three additional teams joining based on performance.
Among the competing teams were AS Douanes from Senegal, APR from Rwanda, Us Monastir from Tunisia, and Rivers Hoopers from Nigeria, all vying for a spot in the playoffs in Kigali at the end of the month.
American player Abdoulaye Harouna emerged as a top scorer with 35 points in the match against AS Douanes, leading his team to victory with a score of 76-59.
Rivers Hoopers secured victory with a 3-point margin against APR, marking their fourth encounter in the BAL series. APR then went on to defeat Us Monastir with a score of 89-84, in a historic match extending into overtime.
Us Monastir, having made history with their high-scoring victory over AS Douanes, faced Rivers Hoopers in the next match, which ended with a score of 85-93, making it one of the most-watched matches thus far.
