APR Basketball Club and Tigers will raise the curtains on the new basketball season with a mouthwatering Super Cup clash on Friday, February 6, at BK Arena. The Super Cup will be contested in a single-game format, with the winner decided after four quarters of 10 minutes each, setting the tone for the season ahead. ALSO READ: Mwinuka’s Tigers out to challenge APR for championship More of a coaching battle than players’ Beyond the players on the floor, the encounter promises to be as much a coaching duel as a contest between two of the league’s top teams. The clash pits APR, under American coach James Maye Jr, against Tigers, who are pushing for a new era of dominance under respected Tanzanian tactician Henry Mwinuka—two coaches who have firmly established their reputations on the Rwandan basketball scene. APR have enjoyed sustained success since Maye Jr replaced Mazen Trakh in 2024, winning two league championships and guiding the army side to a third-place finish at the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL). ALSO READ: Rwanda Basketball League postponed to February 6 Mwinuka, meanwhile, boasts an impressive résumé of his own. He previously led Patriots to three league titles and REG to two championships, before steering Tigers to a fifth-place finish last season as he began reshaping the club. With both sides closely matched, preparation and in-game decisions are expected to be decisive. How each technical bench studies the opposition, manages key players, and makes tactical adjustments could ultimately determine the outcome in what is likely to be a tight contest. Both teams strengthened significantly during the offseason. Tigers recruited Steven Hagumintwari, who reunites with his former coach Mwinuka, alongside Olivier Shyaka, Bruno Nyamwasa, Paul Bizimungu, and Antino Jackson. Imports Anthony Tarke and Albert Odero are also expected to add valuable experience. APR, on the other hand, bolstered their squad with the signings of Dieudonné Ndizeye, American forward Carlton Edward Bragg Jr from Saudi side Al Nassr Riyadh, and US point guard Prince Twa. The return of center Osborn Shema further strengthens their lineup. The Super Cup showdown will offer an early statement of intent as both teams look to assert dominance ahead of the new league campaign.
