Leaders REG in must-win clash against IPRC-Kigali
Thursday, April 26, 2018
REGu2019s Olivier Shyaka drives to the basket during a past match against Espoir at Petit Stade in Remera. File.

Today 

UGB Vs Espoir 6pm REG Vs IPRC- Kigali 8p.m

Saturday Patriots Vs IPRC- South 4p.m

Rwanda Energy Group (REG) will be looking to take to court with killer instinct against archrivals IPRC-Kigali tonight at Petit State in Remera. 

The basketball league clash gets underway at 8p.m.

With four-match rounds to go, reigning champions REG lead the table standings with the slightest of margins as dropping a point would be enough for contenders Patriots to take the lead, something REG head coach Cyril Kalima says they will seek to avoid "at all costs.”

"Every game is a title-decider for us; there is no margin of error at this point in the title race. Any slight mistake in Friday’s game would see Patriots dethrone us but we won’t let that happen,” Kalima told Times Sport yesterday. 

Ahead of this weekend’s 13th round of the Star Times Basketball National League matches, giants REG and Henry Mwinuke’s Patriots top the table with 22 points each but the former are at the summit thanks to a superior score average.  

The much-anticipated clash of the day between holders REG and the Kicukiro-based varsity side will be preceded by another league encounter pitting youthful UGB against former champions Espoir. 

On Saturday, Patriots will be up against Charles Mushumba’s IPRC-South at 4p.m.

The 2016 champions will go into the game well aware that a defeat would deal a blow to their chances of winning the league and earning qualification to the 2019 FIBA Africa Zone 5 Championship.

Record 7-time champions APR are third on the table, also with 22 points but have played two games more than the top two, while IPRC-South complete the top four with 17 points.

Today’s REG opponents IPRC-Kigali are in sixth position while Nyamirambo-based Espoir rank fifth.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw