Men, Game 6 REG Vs Patriots 9pm

Women, Game 6 APR Vs the Hoops 7pm

Rwanda Energy Group (REG) Serbian coach Igor Kovacevic has said that his team will play Game 6 of the basketball playoffs finals as if their lives depend on it.

The 2017 champions face Patriots on Friday night, kick-off 9pm at Kigali Arena, looking for an all-important victory to clinch their second championship as they lead the series 3-2 after five games.

But, should defending champions win, the series will head to the decisive Game 7 on Saturday.

"We will play as if our lives depend on the game,” 68-year old Kovacevic told Times Sport after his team’s evening training on Wednesday. "We will give everything we got on the court for the result we want so bad.”

REG, who lost to Patriots in last year’s finals, made history in 2017 when they won the Bank of Kigali Basketball National League’s title on their maiden attempt after joining the championship late 2016.

In a separate interview, Patriots skipper Aristide Mugabe said that his side are well aware that losing the game means losing the title and urged teammates to step up as they look take the finals into Game 7, and subsequently a fighting chance to win their third league title in four years.

In the meantime, victory will also be enough to seal APR the title in women’s league as the army side hold a 3-2 advantage ahead of Game 6.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com