When the Basketball Africa League playoffs come to Kigali in May, Rwandans will be rallying behind Rwanda Energy Group (REG) Basketball Club anticipating the boys to do great things. Eight teams from the two conferences – Nile and Sahara, will be competing on a knock-out basis to see who takes this year’s trophy. REG’s display at the Sahara Conference in Dakar, Senegal earlier this year was one that can be described as mixed. The team finished on a 3-2 record and advanced to the playoffs in the third position. Weekend Sports’ Damas Sikubwabo explains why the Rwandan representatives are primed to be a team to beat when the playoffs tip-off at BK Arena from May 21 – 27. Home advantage The BAL knockout phase is taking place in Kigali with thousands of Rwandans set to put any rivalry aside to back home side REG at the BK Arena. Everybody at the club knows that they owe Rwandans an apology from last year’s disappointing display and the only chance to prove to them that they mean it is to lift the championship inside the BK Arena come May. The home advantage will undoubtedly play a role in beefing up REG’s efforts for winning every game. Balanced squad REG has a fairly balanced team. The ability of their two American guards Adonis Filer and Cleveland Thomas is a key asset, yet when you look at the bench, the team has some good options for rotation in Jean Jacques Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza and Ntore Habimana. Upfront, Congolese center Pitchou Manga’s presence is felt in the paint, yet he has a good deputy in Ulrich Chomche, a Cameroonian youngster who joined from the NBA Africa academy. Though Chomche is inexperienced, his talent is not in doubt as he proved it to coach Dean Murray during the Sahara Conference in Dakar. American forward Delwan Graham who joined this year is also a man who can offer a lot on both ends of the court. His scoring won him a man of the match performance in his first ever BAL match as REG beat Nigeria’s Kwara Falcons I the opening match. His style of play, characterized by toughness and determination, makes him very good in defense as he pulls up good blocks and interceptions. REG also has good local forwards in Dieudonne Ndizeye and Steve Hagumintwari who can do good work for the team. Learning from last year’s heartbreak Last year, REG was eliminated at the quarterfinals of the competition by Cameroon’s Forces Armées et Police (FAP), a side that came in last year’s playoffs as underdogs having finished fourth in the Nile Conference while REG had topped the Sahara Conference. The game was one that brought disappointment and it should be something that the players want to overturn this year. Captain Olivier Shyaka, in an event organised to flag them off to Senegal for the Sahara Conference earlier this year, recalled that, “We were not happy with last season’s performance. We feel we owe a huge debt to Rwandans.” Experience at the tournament This is the second time that REG is playing at the BAL. Last year, they had a mixed tournament but it should give them a lot of lessons in terms of how to win. Many of the players they used last season are with the team this season. It should not be a surprise if REG consider themselves one of the big teams favorites to win the championship.
