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APR BBC

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the women's team, see APR WBBC.
APR
2024 APR BBC season
APR logo
NicknameLions
DivisionDivision 1
LeaguesRwanda Basketball League
BAL
Founded1993
HistoryAPR BBC
(1993–present)
ArenaBK Arena[1]
Capacity10,000
LocationKigali, Rwanda
ChairmanRichard Murefu
Head coachJames Maye Jr.
OwnershipMinistry of Defence
2023 positionRBL, 1st of 14
Championships14 Rwandan Leagues

Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball Club, commonly known simply as APR, is a Rwandan basketball club based in Kigali. Owned and funded by the Ministry of Defence of Rwanda, the team plays in the Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) and in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) for the 2024 season. Nicknamed the "Lions", the team is the most decorated team in the country, as APR has won a record 15 national championships.[2]

History

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Originating during the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)'s liberation struggle during the Rwandan Civil War in 1993, the club was established to serve as a means to engage and occupy soldiers during a ceasefire amid the peace talks that eventually led to the signing of the Arusha Accords. Alongside the basketball team, the RPF introduced teams in volleyball and football, which continue to operate successfully.[3]

From 1995 to 2003, APR won nine consecutive national championships.[3]

The Lions were taken over by Kenya-born head coach Cliff Uwuor in 2005. They won the FIBA Africa Zone 5 Club Championship in 2008, and won league titles in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010.[4]

In 2008, APR became the first team in league history to finish the regular season unbeaten.[5] Its succeses were partly due to APR's high-quality foreign players, mainly from the DR Congo. After its thirteenth championship in 2009, the team went a decade without notable performances. The club opted to play with homegrown players in these years, a decision that coach Uwuor named as a reason for less titles in these years.

In the 2023 offseason, the Lions acquired national team player Axel Mpoyo, Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza and Ntore Habimana, among others. APR eventually ended its 13-year long title drought before by winning another title in the 2023 RBL season, under head coach Maz Trakh.[6]

APR made its BAL debut in the 2024 season, receiving direct qualification to the main tournament as Rwandan champion. The Lions were allocated in the Sahara Conference, but disappointingly finished in the fourth place in the group,[7] becoming the first Rwandan team in league history to miss out on the playoffs.[8] In August, they won the inaugural Rwanda Cup title.[9] APR also won the 2024 league title.[10]

Honours

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National

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National Basketball League

  • Champions (15): 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2023, 2024
    • Runners-up (2): 2013, 2014

Rwanda Cup

Rwandan Heroes Cup

  • Runners-up (1): 2020

Genocide Memorial Tournament

  • Winners (1): 2024[11]

International

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FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup

FIBA Africa Zone 5 Club Championship

  • Winners (3): 2002, 2007, 2008

Friendly

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Legacy Basketball Tournament

  • Winners (1): 2024[12]

In FIBA and BAL competitions

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FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup (3 appearances)

2007 – 6th Place
2008 – 8th Place
2009 – Bronze Third place

Basketball Africa League (BAL) (1 appearance)

2024 – To be determined

Season by season

[edit]
Season Regular season Playoffs Cup competition
Finish Wins Losses Pct.
APR
2017–18 Season was not held
2018–19 4th 7 6 .538 Lost semifinals (Patriots) 2–3
2019–20 3rd[a] 2 1 .667 Lost semifinals (Patriots) 68–75 Runners-up (HC)
2020–21 4th 10 1 .909 Won quarterfinals (UGB) 93–51
Lost semifinals (Patriots) 0–2
2021–22 3rd 21 3 .875 Lost semifinals (REG) 1–2
2023 3rd 19 3 .864 Won semifinals (Patriots, 3–0)
Won finals (REG, 4–0)
2024 2nd 16 2 .889 Won semifinals (REG, 3–0)

Won finals (Patriots, 4–2)

Winners (RC)
Regular season record 75 16 .824
Play-down record 18 10 .643
  1. ^ In the 2019–20 season, the season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and as such APR only played a group phase of three games.

Players

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Current roster

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This section is transcluded from 2024 APR BBC season. (edit | history)

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

APR roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age
G 00 Rwanda Filer, Adonis 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 31 – (1993-07-11)11 July 1993
PG 2 United States Obadiah, Noel (I) 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) 25 – (1999-06-28)28 June 1999
F/C 4 Rwanda Hunt, Dario 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 35 – (1989-05-02)2 May 1989
F 5 Rwanda Ruta, Christopher 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 23 – (2000-11-09)9 November 2000
SG 6 Rwanda Robeyns, William 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 28 – (1996-02-23)23 February 1996
F 7 Rwanda Mpoyo, Axel 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 27 – (1997-01-05)5 January 1997
G 11 Rwanda Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, Jean Jacques 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 26 – (1998-06-26)26 June 1998
PF 14 Kenya Wamukota, Tom 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 31 – (1993-09-28)28 September 1993
PG 15 Rwanda Habimana, Ntore 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 27 – (1997-08-15)15 August 1997
SF 23 Rwanda Kimasa, Dan 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 29 – (1995-01-01)1 January 1995
G/F 28 Senegal Camara, Mohamed (E) 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 19 – (2005-04-01)1 April 2005
F/C 34 Egypt Abdullah, Mohamed (I) 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 21 – (2003-11-03)3 November 2003
PG 45 Rwanda Larson, Niyibizi 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 18 – (2006-10-14)14 October 2006
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Import player
  • (E): BAL Elevate player
  • Injured Injured
Updated: May 4, 2024


Notable players

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.
See also: Category:APR B.C. players

Head coaches

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The following people have been head coaches of APR:

Women's team

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APR WBBC is the club's women's team plays in the Rwanda Women's Basketball League and have represented the country in the 2022 FIBA Africa Women's Champions Cup.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball Club â€" Rwanda Basketball Federation".
  2. ^ "Tracing the evolution of basketball in Rwanda". The New Times. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2023. Rebuilding came with the birth of clubs like APR Basketball Club which has since won seven league titles,
  3. ^ a b "APR (RWANDA)". The BAL. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b Bishumba, Richard (27 February 2015). "Owuor weighs in on the future of APR BC". The New Times. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  5. ^ "APR makes history". The New Times. 6 October 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  6. ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (9 September 2023). "PHOTOS: Basketball: APR clinch first championship in 14 years". The New Times. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  7. ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (13 May 2024). "BAL 2024: AS Douanes end APR's playoffs hopes". The New Times. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  8. ^ Gatera, Emmanuel (23 May 2024). "Will Rwanda's absence at BAL playoffs affect the turn up?". The New Times. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  9. ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (10 August 2024). "APR wins inaugural Rwanda basketball cup tournament". The New Times. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  10. ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (23 September 2024). "PHOTOS: APR see off Patriots in Game 6, win record 15th championship". The New Times. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  11. ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (21 April 2024). "Basketball: APR overcome Patriots to lift GMT title". The New Times. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  12. ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (28 January 2024). "Basketball: APR, Kepler crowned 2024 Legacy Tournament winners". The New Times. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  13. ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (20 December 2020). "APR basketball re-sign coach Cliff Owuor". The New Times. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  14. ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (11 October 2024). "Basketball: APR coach James Maye Jr. on playoffs victory, working in Rwanda". The New Times. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  15. ^ "APR WOMEN BBC at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup Women 2022". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
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