The year 2020 has been uniquely difficult for many, if not for everyone, in various ways. The world of sport was not only disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, but it also lost icons such as NBA legend Kobe Bryant and, recently, Diego Maradona.
On domestic scene, the sporting calendar was also halted for at least seven months and left many leagues with no choice but to declare the season null or end it prematurely.
All disciplines were impacted, and basketball was no exception. To get through it and be able to complete the season, the local basketball governing body (Ferwaba) had to improvise and adapt to new realities.
Along with the volleyball federation, Ferwaba is one of the only two sporting bodies that resumed the championships in October – albeit under shortened formats.
In this issue, Weekend Sport looks at six major moments and events that shaped Rwanda basketball this year, in no particular order.
Rampant Patriots retain league title
For a third consecutive season, Patriots Basketball Club retained the BK Basketball National League title in October after outplaying archrivals Rwanda Energy Group (REG) 76-61 in the final.
It was also the club’s fourth championship in five years as they became the first side to win three championships in a row ‘three-peat’ since Espoir did so between 2012 and 2015.
The league was resumed under protected environment ‘bubble’ in line with Covid-19 guidelines. All the teams stayed in one joint camp, at Golden Tulip Hotel, and the games were played behind closed doors at Kigali Arena.
Meanwhile, the Hoops Rwanda also defied the odds to clinch the women’s championship after stunning IPRC Huye in the final. It was the club’s first league title since joining the topflight league seven years ago.
The two champion clubs will represent the country in regional and continental competitions next year; with the Hoops featuring in the Fiba Africa Zone V Championships, whereas Patriots will play the Basketball Africa League.
Rwanda hosts Afrobasket qualifiers
Rwanda hosted the November window qualifiers for the 2021 African Basketball Championship (Afrobasket) after the country won a vote of confidence from the world basketball governing body (Fiba) due to its effective handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Just like the domestic league finals, the Afrobasket qualifiers were also played in the bubble, with a limited number of fans who had to undergo Covid-19 testing and present negative results before buying tickets for the games.
The qualifiers attracted 12 countries, including the hosts Rwanda who did not impress.
Rwanda will also host the 2021 Afrobasket finals tournament, making it the first East African country to host Africa’s biggest basketball showpiece since 1993 when it was held in Kenya.
Vladimir steps down as national team coach
Just five days after the conclusion of the Afrobasket qualifiers in Kigali, Serbian tactician Vladimir Bosnjak resigned from his position as the head coach of the Rwanda national basketball team following his side’s poor performance at home.
The hosts did not manage a single victory in Group D after losing all their games to Mali, Nigeria and South Sudan.
The slump in results was largely blamed on Bosnjak’s coaching style and game management.
BAL inaugural season pushed to 2021
The regular season of the inaugural Basketball Africa League, commonly referred to as BAL, was scheduled to tip off in March this year before it was postponed within days to the starting day due to Covid-19.
BAL, a joint partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), is a new continental club championship featuring 12 clubs from across Africa.
After the pandemic situation seemed to stabilise, organisers had hoped Rwanda would host the tournament this month, but, after discussions between different stakeholders, it was decided that the competition should be moved to 2021 to accord it a grand launch it deserves.
BAL is the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a professional league outside North America.
Mugwiza re-elected as Ferwaba President
After serving two four-year terms as President of the Rwanda basketball federation, Désiré Mugwiza, who ran unopposed, was unanimously re-elected for a third and final term this month. Pascale Mugwaneza and Richard Nyirishema also retained their positions as first and second vice-president, respectively.
Mugwiza is credited for having prioritised grassroots level and youth basketball, and professionalizing the national league, moves that saw the sport gain popularity in Kigali and across the country.
Today, basketball ranks among the most popular sports in the country along with football and cycling.
Kigali Arena gets new management
A year after Kigali Arena was inaugurated, it was announced in October that the modern multipurpose facility has a new management firm – South African QA Venue Solutions.
QA Venue Solutions will manage the arena for seven years. Kigali Arena is the biggest indoor sports facility in Eastern and Central Africa.