After winning the local basketball championship, APR will represent Rwanda at the Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2024 and is expected to invest a lot in recruiting players who will put up the best fight. In September, Times Sport talked to APR coach Mazen Trakh who said that they are looking at good local players who will be added to the team, in addition to some international ones. The BAL allows teams to have eight Rwandan players on their roster, two more from African countries, and two more from outside of the continent. Times Sport takes a look at some Rwandan players that APR may add. Jean-Victor Mukama Mukama, a Canadian-Rwandan professional basketball forward, is one of them. He boasts a diverse skill set as a versatile forward, in addition to rich experience having played in Africa, Canada, as well as Europe. ALSO READ: Mukama named on national team for Afrobasket qualifiers In December 2019, he featured for Patriots during the 2020 BAL qualifying campaign. His performance during the competition, particularly in the final against Madagascar’s Gendarmerie Nationale Basketball Club, was commendable, as he scored a game-high 18 points. Mukama played in various leagues including the Canadian Elite Basketball League, Dutch Basketball League, Liga Española de Baloncesto, and the BAL qualifiers. Osborn Shema US-based player Osborne Shema is one Rwandan player that APR may consider on their roster. The 7-foot forward has played for a number of schools in the USA including Florida Gulf Coast Eagles men’s basketball, Glove Prep Christian Academy, and Iona College in New Rochelle, New York. ALSO READ: Rwandan Shema named best defensive player in US conference basketball He was one of the players who played a role as the national team qualified for AfroCAN 2023. Noah Bigirumwami Born in Orange County, California, in the United States, Bigirumwami has played in USA schools before moving to Europe for professional basketball, and has good skills to make it to the APR roster. ALSO READ: Basketball: Who is Noah Bigirumwami, Rwanda’s new Center? The 26-year old plays in a stretch forward position and boasts good size, versatility, great ball-shooting, and mobility on the floor. Dieudonné Ndizeye Rwandan small forward Dieudonné Ndizeye who most recently featured for local side Patriots Basketball Club is one of the consistent players in the local league. Ndizeye was one of the players that put up a great display as Patriots finished fourth in the Rwanda Basketball League. ALSO READ: BAL qualifiers: Ndizeye speaks out on impressive performance for South Sudanese side For a couple of years, he was one of the top players in the country, thanks to his skills. In 2019, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the league. He featured in two editions of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and was a key player for Patriots, in 2021, and REG (2022). Sano Rutatika Sano Rutatika is a young power forward who has come through the youth ranks in Rwanda. His numbers at the youth level showed he is a player on the rise and naturally progressed to the senior national team. ALSO READ: Is basketball prodigy Rutatika finally coming of age? ALSO READ:VIDEO - Basketball: U-18 Captain Rutatika on team’s aspirations at the African Championships He had decent minutes in the group game against Burundi. The 19-year-old could see his potential unlocked at the tournament.
