Point guard Adonis Filer, shooting guard Cleveland Thomas and forward Delwan Graham have arrived in the country and immediately joined Rwanda Energy Group (REG) Basketball club camp in preparations for the Basketball Africa League (AL) playoffs that will take place in Kigali from May 20-27. Graham and Thomas already took part in Wednesday morning training session while Adonis is joining the roster in the evening sessions. REG’s display at the Sahara Conference in Dakar, Senegal, was one that can be described as mixed despite securing their ticket to the playoffs. The team finished third in the six-team group phase in the Sahara Conference on a 3-2 record. After group stages exploits, some of its foreign players returned to their countries for a break, but have now started jetting in Rwanda to get ready for the playoffs. 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 the club 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 in the Conference 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 during the playoffs. The team is camping at Lebanon Hotel, in Remera, and holds training sessions twice a day at BK Arena.
