Patriots hoops club win Gisembe memorial title

Sunday Men Patriots (Rwa) 66-64 Boundess (DRC) Women APR (Rwa) 55-58 Berco Stars (Bdi) Veterans UGB (Rwa) 70-58 CSK (Rwa) Third playoffs Men IPRC-Kigali (Rwa) 82-74 PJB-Goma (DRC) Women PJB-Goma (DRC) 85-47 Scandinavia (DRC) MVP Ines Nezerwa (Berco Stars)Ali Kubwimana (Patriots) Rwanda’s Patriots Basketball Club (men) and Burundi’s Berco Stars (women) are the winners of the 2016 regional edition of Gisembe memorial tournament that ended on Sunday evening. The local league champions claimed their maiden Gisembe title after overcoming DR Congo’s Boundess Basketball club in a tightly contested final 66-64 at Amahoro indoor stadium. Henry Mwinuka’s team won the first quarter 21-12, before losing the second 13-21, but the Kagugu-based side bounced back to claim the third quarter 19-15 before losing the fourth quarter 13-16. “The tournament was very tough because it is a regional tournament, so this a great achievement for Patriots basketball club because we had never won this competition.” Berco Stars Shooting Guard Sifa Kalume goes for a lay-up in the final against APR. Berco Stars won the game 58-55. (S. Ngendahimana) In the women’s category, Berco Stars from Burundi retained the title after defeating local giants APR 58-55 in the final—APR had won the local edition last weekend. The home side, APR, won the first two quarters 14-13 and 14-10, but could not cope with the pressure from the Burundian league champions, losing the final two quarters and the title; 17-16 and 18-11 respectively. In the veterans’ category, Rwanda’s United Generation Basketball claimed the title after beating local rivals Cercle Sportif de Kigali (CSK) 70-58 in the final. Meanwhile, last year’ winner and tournament organizers, Espoir (men) did not feature in this year’s edition on grounds that one of their players was suspended from taking part in the competition by local basketball federation, FERWABA. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Patriots hoops club win Gisembe memorial title