The Patriots have eliminated Kepler in a 3-0 clean sweep, advancing to the Rwanda Basketball League playoff finals to challenge the reigning champions, APR.
On September 4 at Petit Stade, the Patriots beat Kepler in the Rwanda Basketball League Playoff semifinals to complete a 3-0 series sweep and advance to their first finals in two years.
After a challenging Game 1, the Patriots dominated the following two games, defeating the Kinyinya-based club and ending their hopes of claiming the league title in their maiden season.
83-71, 107-68, and 89-66, Henry Mwinuka’s team secured a berth in the Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) playoff finals for the ninth time in their decade-long existence.
Meanwhile, Patriots’ Henry Mwinuka is poised to make his 8th final appearance and his 5th with Patriots. The Tanzanian coach has secured the RBL title five times, including three with the Patriots.
In the finals, the Henry Mwinuka team will compete with APR, the defending champions, in a best-of-seven series.
The Patriots and APR, the top two seeds from regular season, will rekindle a rivalry that began last season’s playoffs, when APR swept the Patriots to reach the finals.
The sweep, followed by a trade of Michael Andre Dixon from the Patriots to the APR, fueled significant speculation and intensified the rivalry.
The rivalry persisted this season as the Patriots defeated APR twice in their regular season matchups and secured the top spot.
The best-of-seven series will determine the league champions and country’s flag bearers in the 2025 Basketball Africa League.
RBL competition has evolved considerably, marked by attracting professional players, upgrading venues, and employing cutting-edge technology to resolve replay issues and enhance officiating precision.
The finals series tipoff on September 11, with the venue still to be decided.
