Rwanda will host this year’s Africa Zone V 3x3 basketball championship on October 12 at Amahoro indoor stadium, a day after the conclusion of the ongoing FIBA Zone V Club Championships. The 3x3, also known as street ball or street basketball, is the version of the game played by three players against three, and the game lasts for 10 minutes. This version of basketball is currently being promoted by FIBA, the sport’s world governing body. Its flagship competition is an annual FIBA 3X3 World Tour. The game started in 2010 but it will be played for the first time in the FIBA Africa Zone V where each country will be represented by four players. Uganda, Egypt, Kenya and the hosts Rwanda are so far the only countries that have confirmed their participation in the event and the top two teams will qualify for the FIBA Africa 3on3 Championships which will be held in Angola in December — the tournament in Luanda will also act as qualifier for the World Championships. Meanwhile, Rwandan teams (men and women) started training last week. The men’s team include Olivier Shyaka (Espoir), Kaje Elie (Espoir), Ally Kubwimana Kazingufu (Patriots), Steve Hagumintwari (IPRC), Parfait Ishimwe (APR), Aristide Mugabe (Espoir) and Kami Kabange (City Oilers-Uganda). The women team comprises of Charlotte Umugwaneza (APR), Denyse Uwase Muvunyi (Ubumwe), Nicole Urwibutso (UR- Huye), Rosine Micomyiza (UCU-Uganda), Joseline Munyaneza (IPRC-South) and Cécile Nzaramba (IPRC-South). Both teams will be under national team head coach Moise Motokambali.
