Odile Tetero came up with another top-notch performance as APR WBBC overcame defending champions REG BBC 4-1 in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series, to claim the 2023 Rwanda Basketball League
KIGALI, September 15, APR Women’s Basketball Club have been crowned RBL Champions for the first time since 2019. They had lost the first game of the series before running off four successive victories to seal the title.
In a Game 5 like the previous games, REG BBC started high, building a 6-point lead in the opening quarter (22-16), and going on to end the second quarter with a seven-point advantage (33-26).
APR began the third quarter with a zone defence, denying easy points by pushing the opposition team to take tough shots. It worked, as APR closed the gap, with a courtesy of Odile Tetero’s three-point buzzer-beater, they concluded the quarter with a point advantage. 49-48
The back-to-back defending champions were not done as they continued to push in the final quarter, but Odile Tetero continued to hurt her former club by hitting long-range shots and drives into the paint to enable APR to win by a tight margin of 62-61.
It was a great season, and playoffs in particular for APR’s point guard Odile Tetero as she knocked down another spectacular performance of 23 points on 8-of-20 shooting from the floor with three 3-pointers in six attempts, six boards and four assists in 39 minutes.
Tetero’s outstanding performance in the 2023 Betpawa Playoffs earned her a Most Valuable Player accolade.
Brigitte Nibishaka and Henriette Uwimpuhwe of Groupe Scolaire Marie Reine were honoured as the league’s best defender and top scorer, respectively. At the same time, Jane Dusabe of Hoops Rwanda was named the most improved player of the season.
RP-IPRC Huye team captain, Linda Nandy Uwitonze was named regular season MVP.
APR scooped Rwf 13 million in addition to gold medals. The first runner-up, REG BBC, received an eight million cheque, while the second runner-up and the fourth received six and three million, respectively.
The 2023 Rwanda Basketball League finalists APR WBBC and REG BBC will represent the country in the FIBA Africa Zone 5 Club Championship slated for next month in Kigali
