Branch Stephaun excels on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor Wednesday night as the Patriots beat APR BBC 83-71 in Game 1 of the Rwanda Basketball League Playoff Finals.
On September 11 at BK Arena, American guard Branch Stephaun scored 26 points to lead the Patriots to a strong start in the finals’ series against the defending champions, APR.
The top-seeded Patriots, who lost only one game in the regular season, advanced to the finals after sweeping Kepler in the semifinals. They now face APR, the reigning champs, reigniting a rivalry that began last year.
APR made a coaching change prior to the playoffs, with James Edward Maye replacing Mazen Trakh, who had lost twice to the Patriots’ Henry Mwinuka during the regular season.
After eliminating the REG in the semifinals, APR knew that the finals would bring tougher challenges. In the first quarter, APR trailed the Patriots by six points, 21-15, before the Patriots turned up the heat, building a 24-point lead by halftime, 52-28.
With a 24-point lead at halftime, the Henry Mwinuka-coached side virtual shifted their focus to Game 2 on Friday, opting to slow down their offense and prioritize limiting APR’s scoring. Although APR won the third and fourth quarters 22-16, 21-15, respectively, the gap was too large for them to overcome.
Despite being the team’s leading scorer with 26 points, Branch Stephaun’s biggest plays come on the defensive end. He also recorded a team-high nine rebounds and three blocks in the game.
Captain Dieudonné Ndizeye Ndayisaba, known as Gaston, contributed 20 points, including 4 three-pointers. The Rwandan forward made 6-15 field goals, including 4-9 from behind the arc, and was perfect from the foul line, going 4-4.
Gaston added 9 rebounds to his stellar offensive plays to lead by example.
Steven Hagumintwari excelled in perimeter defense and also chipped in 16 points. The Patriots’ standout defender was flawless in his shooting, as he shot 3-3 from behind the arc and 3-3 from the free-throw line.
On the other side, APR’s Aliou Diarra and Isaiah Jaleel Miller scored 19 points apiece.
Game 2 is scheduled for Friday, September 13, at 7 p.m. local time at BK Arena.
The best-of-seven series will determine the 2024 league champions.
