Star shooting-guard Armel Sangwe has joined Burundian club, Urunani on a two-year contract. The 25-year old, who most recently featured for local side APR, has just arrived in Bujumbura to finalize the deal and is expected to start training with the rest of the team on Tuesday. Reacting to the move, the Burundi-born player told Times Sport that, “I am very happy to be part of such a club.” “It’s a new challenge and a new chapter of my career, I will work hard and perform to the best of my ability to help Urunani thrive,” he added. Sangwe joined APR in 2019 from archrivals Espoir. In 2017, he won three titles with APE Rugunga and one with Espoir. The Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA) named Sangwe the best young player of the season while he also claimed the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in FEASSSA Games held in August 2017 in Gulu, Uganda. In his first year at APE Rugunga, Sangwe helped the school to win three competitions including the national inter-schools championship after beating ETENI Gisenyi in the final. They defeated Lycée de Kigali to win the Sebamed tournament and won the FEASSSA title after overcoming Budo SS of Uganda in the final. Sangwe made his debut in the national basketball league in 2016 after signing a two-year contract with former champions Espoir. In the 2016/2017 season, he helped the Nyamirambo-based side to win the local edition of Gisembe Genocide Memorial tournament after beating Rwanda Energy Group in the final. However, REG returned the favour a week later to win the regional edition. Sangwe also helped Espoir to finish third in the league play-offs after beating IPRC-Kigali in the best-of-three series. He now opens a new chapter with Bujumbura-based basketball powerhouse Urunani who are the current champions of the Viva Basketball League (VBL). Since 1979, Urunani has won more than 15 domestic titles.
