He has only featured for Rwanda in a handful of matches, but Ntore Habimana, 23, has introduced himself well on the national team scene. Gifted with flare and pace, the Canada born point-guard had some flashes of brilliance during the recent Afrobasket qualifiers window 2 that took place in Monastir Tunisia, despite the fact that he had limited game time. With such talented young players, the future of Rwandan basketball may be bright, as the country continues to aspire for a breakthrough in the region and on the continent. Times Sport’s Damas Sikubwabo had an interview with Habimana, where he talked about his early life, love for basketball, and future plans. Excerpts: Tell us about yourself I was born on August 15, 1997, in Mississauga, Ontario (Canada). My father is Rwandan and my mother is from Burundi. They moved to Canada in 1994. However, my father has been living in Kigali for a few years now. How did you start loving basketball? I and my siblings became basketball fans from a young age because my father was a big fan. My father took me to watch a game at a young age and I have not looked back since. I have always dreamed of playing in the NBA. Vince Carter, having played for Toronto while I was just a kid made me wish I was there, right alongside him playing the game. This pushed me to one day become a professional. Give me a brief about your club career I am just about to graduate from university so I have not played any club basketball yet. But as a kid I played for the Mississauga Monarchs, a well-known team. What are the biggest games or competitions you have played in at school? In college, there have been many games like this. However, if I was to say one specific game, it would be a heartbreaking game we played last year for a chance to make it to the national tournament. We lost in overtime, and many people told me we played very well. Besides basketball, is there something else you love doing? I love playing video games with my friends when I am off the court. NBA 2k (video game) is a great way to still focus on basketball even off the court. Also, I am a sneaker enthusiast, I love shoes and I love learning about sneakers. Was the Afrobasket qualifiers window 2 your first call up to the national team? Yes, the second window of these qualifiers was my first call up to the national team. Overall, it was a great experience. Although we did not get the best of results, it was nice learning from the people around me and gaining that experience. How was your first experience playing for the national team like? The first game experience was like no other. Egypt (friendly match pre-Afrobasket qualifiers) came out with a full-court press as if they knew it was my first game (laughs). But jokes aside, Egypt really set the tone for me and made me realise that Afrobasket is a different type of game, and that in order for me to help my team, I would need to adjust my game just a little bit. (Rwanda lost to Egypt 49-84). What’s your career goal? To play professional basketball at the highest level possible. Like I said, it was always a dream of mine to play basketball professionally. Euro-league basketball seems like a great opportunity and I would love to play there next year. What experience did you gain from Afrobasket qualifiers, and what should fans expect of you if you are part of the team for the final tournament? Watching from the sidelines, getting to know my teammates and their tendencies, also getting to know other teams and how they play is really going to help me and the team prosper in the championship. I believe that I can serve the team well with my playmaking skills. Fans should expect me to always give it my all, and to represent the country of Rwanda in a big way.
