Patriots Basketball Club, three-time reigning champions of the BK Basketball National League, have extended contracts of four senior players ahead of the 2020/21 season. The quartet, along with new signing Leonard Hitayezu, put pen to paper on Thursday afternoon. The four players who extended their stints with the club include Dieudonné Ndizeye – the league MVP of the 2018/19 season, centre Bush Wamukota, forward Steven Hagumintwari and point guard Guibert Nijimbere. They each signed a two-year deal, while Hitayezu, who crossed from local side IPRC Kigali, was offered three years – until the end of the 2022/23 season. Speaking to Weekend Sport on Thursday, Patriots president Brian Kirungi said that the four players were part of his club’s long-term plans and extending their contracts was the right thing to do. “Because of these players’ performance last season and the competitions we are preparing for in the future, we had to extend their contracts. We are happy to keep them, and to continue building the team together for the next two seasons,” said Kirungi. Asked about new arrival Hitayezu, Kirungi said that Patriots looked forward to his debut with the club in the upcoming season and the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL), whose start date is yet to be determined. For a third consecutive season, Patriots retained the domestic league title last October after outplaying Rwanda Energy Group (REG) in the final at Kigali Arena. It was also the club’s fourth championship in five years. American tactician Dean Murray will stay on as head coach, assisted by Kenyan Bernard Oluoch and Burundian Olivier Ndayiragije.
