Thursday
APR Vs Al Wakrah 6pm CAT
APR will play their first friendly game against Qatari side Al Wakrah in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday, February 22, as part of club’s intensive preparations for the Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2024.
The club management says that the team will play five buildup games during their 10-day training camp in Doha, including two games against Al Wakrah, two against Al Rayyan before winding up with game against Qatar's All Stars Team.
ALSO READ: APR take BAL 2024 preps to Qatar
APR will play the regular season in the Sahara Conference of BAL which will take place from May 4-12 in Dakar, Senegal. The conference also comprises Tunisia’s US Monastir, AS Douanes of Senegal and Nigerian Champions Rivers Hoopers.
ALSO READ: BAL 2024: APR, US Monastir drawn in Sahara Conference
Prior to Thursday’s friendly, club head coach Mazen Trakh told Times Sport that the buildup games will be played in 12 minute quarters, rather than the normal 10 minutes’ quarters, "So that we can get more players involved. We can develop players by getting them more playing time."
ALSO READ: BAL2024: Conference games get underway on March 9
The team will be return to Kigali on March 1 for the final preparations before flying to Dakar for regular season games.
Champions from Angola, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Tunisia earned their participation in the 2024 BAL season by winning their respective domestic leagues.
The remaining six teams, which come from Burundi, Central African Republic, Libya, Morocco, South Africa and Uganda, secured their tickets through the Road to BAL qualifying tournaments conducted by FIBA Africa across the continent from October to November 2023.
Roster to Qatar
Ntore Habimana, Jean Jacques Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, Robeyns William, Axel Olenga Mpoyo, Chris Rutayisire, Adonis Filer, Dario Nathan Henry Hunt, Elie Kaje, Michael Dixon, Zion Styles, Bush Wamukota, Dan Kimasa,Ally Kazingufu and Larsson Shema Niyibizi.
Buildup fixture schedule
Thursday, February 22
APR Vs Al Wakrah 6pm CAT
Friday, February 23
APR Vs Al Rayyan 6pm CAT
Sunday, February 25
APR Vs Al Wakrah 6pm CAT
Monday, February 26
APR Vs Al Rayyan 6pm CAT
Wednesday, February 28
APR Vs All Stars Team 6pm CAT