Beyond the highly awaited 2019 BK All-Star Game, which takes place Friday night, the big talk in basketball circles is… who will be crowned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2018-19 season? The coveted MVP award, as well as other awards for the young player of the year, referee of the year, and highest scorer of the season will be presented after the All-Star Game. Patriots skipper Aristide Mugabe and IPRC-Kigali star Guibert Nijimbere will captain their teams – Team Aristide and Team Guibert – in the exhibition game at Kigali Arena. This week, Times Sport talked to some of the players and people that are well-acquainted with the game on who might take home this year’s MVP award, and four players were singled out the most; Steven Hagumintwari, Dieudonné Ndizeye, Pascal Niyonkuru and Armel Sangwe. Hagumintwari and Ndizeye will be considered for the award as two forwards who delivered when it mattered the most, inspiring their club Patriots from a 3-1 deficit to Rwanda Energy Group in the playoffs finals to retain the BK Basketball National League title in September. Mugabe is torn between his two teammates, and insists that they equally deserve the award for their effort in the playoff games and consistency throughout the regular season. “Steve and Ndizeye both deserve the award. The guys were superb the entire season, and went the extra mile in playoffs games,” said the former national team captain. Hagumintwari and Ndizeye joined Patriots in November 2017 from league rivals IPRC-Kigali and both have since cemented their status as household names in local basketball. Rwanda international Niyonkuru helped APR to a fourth-place finish in the league, and he is already guaranteed of the highest scorer’s award for his combined 477 points – in the regular season and playoffs games. According to Maxime Mwiseneza, the assistant coach at Rwanda Energy Group and the national team, Niyonkuru is the favourite for the award despite his side only managing a fourth finish. “If we are to learn from the NBA and apply some of their criteria for MVP, then Niyonkuru is the favourite. He’s proved what a scoring monster that he is, and, no doubt, it was because of him that APR made it to the playoffs.” On the other hand, Burundian youngster Armel Sangwe was also a force to reckon with throughout the season as he inspired Espoir to a third-place finish. The 19-year old is also third on the list for high scorers with 376 points, only behind Niyonkuru and Rwanda Energy Group’s Bell Beleck who posted 384 points. editor@newtimesrwanda.com
