The short-handed Patriots pushed for a late comeback but narrowly lost 65–67 to UGB in the opening game of the Genocide Memorial Tournament, GMT 2025.
The tournament tipped off on Wednesday, April 23, at Petit Stade and welcomed international teams for the first time in six years.
The Group B clash between the Patriots and United Generations of Basketball (UGB) opened the men’s competition, with UGB starting strong to clinch the win.
As an international tournament with open slots for foreign players—unlike domestic competitions—GMT 2025 allowed UGB to field all five of their international signings, four of whom started the game.
Meanwhile, Sunny Munyandamutsa’s Patriots opted to rest star imports Cole Elliot Lamar and Frank Kamndoh Betoudji, entrusting local guard Jean Marie Rukerimbere to lead the team.
UGB, coached by Olivier Ndayiragije, capitalized on their advantage early, convincingly winning the first three quarters (18–14, 23–14, 15–12), and they had an 18-point lead during the third quarter.
However, Patriots’ forward Steven Hagumintwari sparked a dramatic comeback, hitting five three-pointers in the final period. His late-game heroics helped tie the score at 65 with just 34 seconds remaining.
With 16 seconds left, Patriots captain Kamilindi fouled UGB’s Mark Burton, and the American-Japanese guard calmly sank both free throws to restore UGB’s lead.
Despite having final possession, Patriots failed to convert and fell short in their tournament opener.
Steven Hagumintwari scored a game-high 20 points, while Jean Marie Rukerimbere contributed 18. Eric Kayondo led UGB with 19 points.
The Patriots return to action on Friday night against Dar City, while UGB face the same opponent today at Petit Stade in the three-team Group B round-robin.
Elsewhere, the scheduled game between REG BBC and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) was postponed due to KPA’s late arrival in Kigali. It has been rescheduled for today, April 24, at 12 p.m.
In the women’s category, KPA defeated Kepler WBBC 88–63, while REG WBBC cruised past East Africa University Rwanda with a 104–50 victory.
The Genocide Memorial Tournament (GMT) is an annual event organized by the Rwanda Basketball Federation in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and the Rwanda Olympic Committee. It honors members of the basketball community who were killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
APR are the defending champions in both the men’s and women’s competitions. REG BBC remains the last team to win the international edition in 2019, alongside Hoops in the women’s bracket.
Photos: Innocent SHEMA
