REG BBC narrowly edged Kepler 72-71 in a thrilling Wednesday night game in the Rwanda Basketball League, setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash against APR BBC on Friday. APR also secured a victory, defeating Espoir 86-79, but now faces injury concerns ahead of the matchup.
Rwanda Basketball League games on Wednesday at Petit Stade kept APR and REG’s unbeaten runs intact ahead of their faceoff on Friday.
Captain Olivier Shyaka’s clutch three-pointer rescued REG in a thrilling game that lasted until 1 AM. Kepler was leading until the final three seconds, but the seasoned Shyaka nailed a three-pointer to preserve REG’s unbeaten record.
Shyaka, who came off the bench to contribute 13 points, managed only one crucial three-pointer, while Cleveland Thomas and Jean Jacques Boissy continued to lead REG’s offensive plays.
Cleveland scored a game-high 20 points, and Boissy chipped in 16. The victory for Odaudu Ogoh’s REG adds excitement to Friday’s matchup against defending champions APR, who triumphed over Espoir in another thrilling game.
APR narrowly escaped an Espoir comeback, entering the final quarter with a 15-point lead. However, Nyamirambo-based Espoir scored 28-20 in the final period, narrowing the gap to just 7 points, with the game ending 79-86 in APR’s favor.
APR’s Ntore Habimana scored 20 points, William Robeyns added 16, and Antino Jackson Alvalezes also contributed 16 points. Espoir’s Fortunate Mwanabene led all scorers with 24 points.
However, APR faces injury concerns as big man Aliou Diarra suffered an ankle injury, adding to the team’s growing list of doubtful players. With Adonis Filer sidelined, Osborn Shema ill from the national team, and Otobo Israel injured during the inaugural Super Cup, Diarra’s injury could further impact APR ahead of the Friday matchup.
REG and APR remain unbeaten with a 6-0 record in the Rwanda Basketball League 2025, positioning themselves as the top title contenders this season.
The highly anticipated game is scheduled for Friday night at 9 PM at BK Arena, with REG looking to avenge last season’s APR playoff sweep in their quest for back-to-back league championships.
