RBL Round 7 (Regular Season): APR beat Patriots by one after a very close game

Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

Third-ranked Patriots (5-2) were very close to win a game against leader APR (9-0) in Kigali on Sunday. APR managed to secure only one-point victory 68-67. However their fans expected easier game. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Patriots. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when APR made 7 blocks. Worth to mention a great performance of Mali forward Aliou Diarra (200-2001) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 29 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks. The former international Ntore Habimana (196-1997, college: Laurier) contributed with 13 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. APR's coach James Maye used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Chadian forward Ronald Nato (199-1992) answered with a double-double by scoring 15 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists for Patriots. Undefeated APR have an impressive series of nine victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 9-0 record. Patriots at the other side keep the third position with two games lost. APR's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Kigali to the arena Espoir.
Another exciting game was a derby match between two teams from Kigali: Orion (#7) and Espoir (#8). Orion (3-5) crushed visiting Espoir (1-8) by 27 points 90-63. It was a great evening for Kennedy Garba who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 28 points, 29 rebounds and 4 blocks. Jeffery Stubbs helped adding 26 points and 5 assists (made all of his eight free throws). At the losing side center Fortunate Mwanawabene (-1998) responded with 23 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Orion maintains seventh place with 3-5 record. Espoir lost their fifth game in a row. They keep the eighth position with eight games lost. Orion's supporters look forward to another derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Kigali to the arena Patriots.
Another exciting game was again a derby between two local teams from Kigali: REG (#2) and Espoir (#8). Despite it looked like an easy game for REG, those rules do not exist in derby games. It's more the case of honor for local supporters and such games have that special and unique approach you cannot find in other games. Host Espoir challenged much higher ranked REG giving them a very tough game, but finally losing it by four points 91-87. It was an exceptional evening for Jean-Jacques Boissy who led the winners and scored 31 points and 4 steals. REG's coach Ogoh Odaudu allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. Franck Nyembo came up with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 14 rebounds for Espoir in the defeat. REG maintains second place with 7-1 record having just three points less than leader APR. Espoir lost their fifth game in a row. They keep the eighth position with eight games lost. REG's supporters look forward to another derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Kigali to the arena Patriots.

In the last game of round 7 UGB lost to undefeated APR on the road 59-86.
The most impressive performance of 7th round was 22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals by Adonis Filer Jovon of APR.



Orion - Espoir 90-63

Another exciting game was a derby match between two teams from Kigali: Orion (#7) and Espoir (#8). Orion (3-5) crushed visiting Espoir (1-8) by 27 points 90-63. Orion dominated down low during the game scoring 62 of its points in the paint compared to Espoir's 38. They outrebounded Espoir 59-47 including a 45-30 advantage in defensive rebounds. Orion brought some defensive toughness making 9 blocks. It was a great evening for Kennedy Garba who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 28 points, 29 rebounds and 4 blocks. American point guard Jeffery Stubbs (189-1991, college: Jackson St.) helped adding 26 points and 5 assists (made all of his eight free throws). Four Orion players scored in double figures. At the losing side center Fortunate Mwanawabene (-1998) responded with 23 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and DR Congolese Franck Nyembo (-2006) scored 14 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Orion maintains seventh place with 3-5 record. Espoir lost their fifth game in a row. They keep the eighth position with eight games lost. Orion's supporters look forward to another derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Kigali to the arena Patriots.
Top scorers:
Orion: K.Garba 28+29reb+1ast, J.Stubbs 26+3reb+5ast, H.Shyengo Elite 13+4reb+2ast, E.Beleck 12+12reb+8ast, J.Irakoze 6+5reb, P.Rurangirwa 3
Espoir: F.Mwanawabene 23+5reb+4ast, F.Nyembo 14+9reb+4ast, E.Muhayumukiza 9+7reb+2ast, F.Muhoza 8+9reb+1ast, D.Shema 5+5reb+2ast, T.Powell 4+7reb+1ast

APR - Patriots 68-67

Third-ranked Patriots (5-2) were very close to win a game against leader APR (9-0) in Kigali on Sunday. APR managed to secure only one-point victory 68-67. However their fans expected easier game. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Patriots. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when APR made 7 blocks. Worth to mention a great performance of Mali forward Aliou Diarra (200-2001) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 29 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks. The former international Ntore Habimana (196-1997, college: Laurier) contributed with 13 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. APR's coach James Maye used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Chadian forward Ronald Nato (199-1992) answered with a double-double by scoring 15 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists and international Steven Hagumintwari (198-1993) added 13 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Patriots. Four Patriots players scored in double figures. APR have an impressive series of nine victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 9-0 record. Patriots at the other side keep the third position with two games lost. APR's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Kigali to the arena Espoir.
Top scorers:
APR: A.Diarra 29+15reb, N.Habimana 13+9reb+3ast, W.Robeyns 7+2reb+3ast, A.Mpoyo 5+8reb+1ast, O.Shema 5+5reb+2ast, A.Filer Jovon 5+1reb+1ast
Patriots: R.Nato 15+10reb+4ast, E.Cole 14+1reb+5ast, O.Kamilindi 13+1reb+3ast, S.Hagumintwari 13+7reb, B.Kamndoh 10+1reb, B.Nyamwasa 2+1reb+1ast

Espoir - REG 87-91

Another exciting game was again a derby between two local teams from Kigali: REG (#2) and Espoir (#8). Despite it looked like an easy game for REG, those rules do not exist in derby games. It's more the case of honor for local supporters and such games have that special and unique approach you cannot find in other games. Host Espoir challenged much higher ranked REG giving them a very tough game, but finally losing it by four points 91-87. REG forced 21 Espoir turnovers. It was an exceptional evening for Senegalese point guard Jean-Jacques Boissy (183-2000) who led the winners and scored 31 points and 4 steals. American guard Cleveland Thomas (192-1993, college: WKU, agency: Slash Sports) accounted for 12 points and 8 assists for the winning side. REG's coach Ogoh Odaudu allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. DR Congolese Franck Nyembo (-2006) came up with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 14 rebounds and center Fortunate Mwanawabene (-1998) added 22 points and 7 rebounds respectively for Espoir in the defeat. Four REG and five Espoir players scored in double figures. REG maintains second place with 7-1 record having just three points less than leader APR. Espoir lost their fifth game in a row. They keep the eighth position with eight games lost. REG's supporters look forward to another derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Kigali to the arena Patriots.
Top scorers:
REG: J.Boissy 31+3reb+3ast, O.Shyaka 15+7reb, C.Thomas 12+2reb+8ast, P.Muhizi 11+5reb+2ast, E.Kazeneza 9+7reb+1ast, E.Aganze 6+4reb+1ast
Espoir: F.Nyembo 23+14reb+2ast, F.Mwanawabene 22+7reb+3ast, E.Muhayumukiza 12+5reb+2ast, F.Muhoza 11+8reb+1ast, D.Shema 11+4reb+3ast, T.Powell 8+1ast

APR - UGB 86-59

No shocking result in a game when leader APR (9-0) crushed 4th placed UGB (4-4) in Kigali 86-59 on Wednesday. APR forced 25 UGB turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists. It was an exceptional evening for the former international point guard Adonis Filer Jovon (195-1993, college: FAU) who led the winners and scored 22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. Mali forward Aliou Diarra (200-2001) accounted for 14 points and 14 rebounds for the winning side. Four APR players scored in double figures. Burundian center Mohamed Doumbya (-1997) came up with a double-double by scoring 20 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists and French-Central African power forward Steven-Emile Perriere (203-1995, college: LMU) added 11 points and 9 rebounds respectively for UGB in the defeat. UGB's coach Yves Murenzi gave up on the game allowing to play eleven players seeing no chance for a win. The victory was the ninth consecutive win for APR. Defending champion maintains first place with 9-0 record. Loser UGB keeps the fourth position with four games lost. APR's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Kigali to the arena Espoir.
Top scorers:
APR: A.Filer Jovon 22+5reb+6ast, A.Diarra 14+14reb+2ast, J.Nshobozwa 11+3reb+3ast, J.Uwitonze 11+2reb+4ast, W.Robeyns 11+1reb+4ast, S.Habineza 8+9reb+1ast
UGB: M.Doumbya 20+12reb+4ast, S.Perriere 11+9reb+1ast, E.Kayondo 9+3reb, T.Nkundwa 8+2reb+1ast, E.Iyakaremye 7+1reb+5ast, E.Ntayomba 2+2reb+1ast