In what could be described as the most anticipated showdown of the Rwandan basketball league season, Patriots BBC stunned APR BBC with a 72-61 victory, ending APR’s impressive 15-game unbeaten run.
The game, played under the lights of BK Arena on Sunday night, April 20, 2025, saw Patriots BBC bounce back after two consecutive defeats to Tigers BBC and Kepler. With odds stacked against them, Patriots came out firing, led by the duo of Frank Kamdoh and Elliot Cole, finishing the first quarter ahead 26-18.
The second quarter was a tight contest, with both teams scoring just 12 points each. Patriots maintained a slim lead at halftime, 38-30.
APR BBC attempted a comeback in the third quarter, leaning heavily on star player Aliou Diarra, who delivered as expected. However, Patriots refused to back down, keeping their composure and holding on to a 54-48 lead.
With tension building in the fourth quarter, many expected APR to mount a comeback as they had in the first leg. But the Patriots crowd roared in support, energizing their team to widen the gap. APR faltered under pressure, committing crucial turnovers that allowed Patriots to seal the victory.
Elliot Cole led Patriots with 19 points, while Aliou Diarra was APR’s top scorer with 20.
This win revives Patriots’ playoff hopes and raises serious questions about APR’s readiness for the upcoming Basketball Africa League (BAL) Nile Conference games in May. Critics are particularly concerned about the underwhelming performances of recent signings like Jordan McRae and Nobel Boungou Colo.
Earlier in the evening, UGB BBC clinched a dramatic 100-94 win in overtime, in another thrilling matchup.