Defending champions APR started their 2025 Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) title defense with an 85-71 victory over Orion, powered by Aliou Diarra’s game-high 25 points.
On January 25, at the Lycée de Kigali Gymnasium, the Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) defeated Orion in their 2025 season opener.
After trailing by 4 points in the first quarter, 19-23, the back-to-back champions rallied to outscore Beleck’s Orion 25-17 in the second quarter, taking a four-point lead into the break.
Diarra and APR continued their strong performance in the third quarter, extending the gap with a 24-13 run, heading into the final period with a 15-point advantage.
Orion fought back in the final quarter, edging out APR 18-17, but suffered an 85-71 loss to the army team.
APR’s success stemmed largely from their shooting accuracy, making 34 of 71 field goals, including 13 of 38 from three-point range. on the other hand, Orion hit 28 of 71 field goals, with only 4 of 21 from beyond the arc.
Diarra led APR with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Antino Jackson Alvalezes added a double-double of 14 points and 12 assists in his debut with the team.
On the other hand, Garba Chingka Kennedy had an impressive debut for Orion, recording a double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds.
Former REG BBC and Orion captain also contributed 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in his debut.
APR began the season with the same strong form that led them to back-to-back titles in the previous seasons.
The RBL defending champions will face Azomco in their next game on Friday night at the Lycée de Kigali Gymnasium (LDK).
