A U18 3x3 basketball tournament will be held in Kigali later this month in honour of former Rwanda youth international Kenrik Kabano and his mother, Rosine Kabano, who died in a road accident in April in Texas, United States.

The event, scheduled for June 26 at Zaria Court, is being organised by the Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA) in partnership with the Kabano family through the Kenrik and Rosine Kabano Foundation.

It is intended to celebrate Kenrik’s growing basketball career and recognise the role his mother played in supporting his development both on and off the court.

Kenrik Kabano, who was part of Rwanda’s U16 national team setup, was regarded as one of the country’s promising young talents. He represented Rwanda at the 2023 FIBA Africa U16 boys’ championship in Tunisia, where he stood out as one of the team’s key performers as Rwanda reached the quarterfinals.

At the time of his death, the 18-year-old was expected to be part of Rwanda’s squad for the upcoming U18 AfroBasket qualifiers.

Born in 2008 and raised in the United States, Kabano combined his studies with basketball development and had already built a reputation within Rwanda’s junior national team. During the 2023 continental championship, he delivered several notable performances, including a standout showing against Egypt in the quarterfinals.

Beyond competition, organisers say the memorial tournament is also designed to send a wider message on the importance of parental support in nurturing young sporting talent, while promoting education alongside sport.

The competition will feature 16 teams in total; 10 in the boys’ category and six in the girls’ category, bringing together some of Rwanda’s promising young players.

Kenrik’s father Mike Kabano is currently in Kigali helping with preparations for the tournament, which is expected to draw members of the basketball community, friends, and well-wishers to honour the lives and legacy of Kenrik and Rosine Kabano.