Hoops: APR, Patriots square off in finals Game 1
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Patriots players follow their coach's instruction during a past game. Patriots will lock horns with APR BBC on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the basketball playoff finals. Photo by Elvis Ndateba Mico

APR Vs Patriots 8:30pm

It will be a battle of titans as defending champions APR and Patriots lock horns on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the basketball playoff finals.

After eliminating RSSB Tigers and REG in the best-of-five semi-finals, the two Rwandan basketball heavyweights will now battle for the championship through the best-of-seven finals series.

Sunny Niyomugabo has had a year to remember both on club and country level.

Having helped U18 national team win the U18 Zone V championship in Cairo, Egypt, Sunny Niyomugabo is now back to the finals looking to end Patriots’ four-year championship drought.

With APR standing in their way, Niyomugabo said, "Every game matters in these series, but a good start matters the most. We are going into Game 1 aiming for a positive beginning.”

Dieudonné Ndizeye now in APR colours, will playing his first finals against his former side.

He is part of an APR side which boasts qualify roster at all department.

Prior to the finals series, Ndizeye warns his teammates against complacency.

"Patriots are a strong team, tactically and physically. We can’t underestimate them. We can’t afford any form of complacency because it would be a terrible mistake”.

There is much at stake as the two teams tussle it out, since the league champion will win an automatic ticket to represent Rwanda in the next year of Basketball Africa League.

In the women’s category, REG will meet The Hoops in the best-of-five playoff-finals.