Rwanda Energy Group (REG) Women Basketball Club clinched the FIBA Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) Zone 5 Qualifiers title after defeating archrivals APR Women BBC 84–77 in an all-Rwandan final on Saturday. The two Rwandan sides dominated the regional competition, navigating the group and knockout stages unbeaten before meeting in the final at the Filbert Bayi Olympafrica Centre in Kibaha, Tanzania. REG took control of the contest in the second quarter, outscoring APR 23–9 to establish a commanding lead. Despite APR’s spirited fightback in the second half, REG maintained their advantage to secure the regional crown. Defence proves decisive REG’s defensive intensity proved crucial, as they disrupted APR’s offence, forced turnovers and applied pressure on the perimeter. They won the steals battle 9–2 and converted their defensive stops into 20 fast-break points. APR, meanwhile, moved the ball more effectively, recording 20 assists against REG’s 12, and shot slightly better from the field at 49 per cent compared with REG’s 47 per cent. However, REG made better use of their opportunities at the free-throw line, shooting 80.8 per cent, while also dominating the offensive glass with 11 offensive rebounds. The two sides were evenly matched in the paint, where APR scored 42 points to REG’s 40, but REG’s defensive pressure and efficiency at key moments ultimately made the difference. The all-Rwandan final capped an impressive campaign for both clubs, who secured their places in the final round of the 2026 FIBA WBLA, scheduled for December 11–20 in Cairo, Egypt.
