The Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) (formerly the National Basketball League Rwanda) is the top professional basketball league in Rwanda.[1] Its season usually runs from November to September. The winners of the NBL season qualify for the qualifiers for the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
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| Organising body | FERWABA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1977 |
| First season | 1977 |
| Country | Rwanda |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Rwanda Basketball League Division 2 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Rwanda Cup |
| Supercup | Rwanda Super Cup |
| International cup(s) | Basketball Africa League (BAL) |
| Current champions | APR (15th title) (2024) |
| Most championships | APR (15 titles) |
 2025 RBL season | |
The league currently consists of 10 teams, most of them being from the country's capital Kigali. The current champion of the RBL are APR, who are the league’s most decorated team with a record 15 championships. Other notable teams are REG and their rivals Patriots, who have been powerhouses in recent years.
Since the 2021–22 season, the FERWABA also organises the RBL Division 2 to which the bottom two teams of the RBL relegate.[2]
History
editBasketball was introduced in Rwanda in 1930 by Catholic priests, who first thought the sport at high schools in the Southern Province. The following decades, the presence of the sport increased as the military and some public institutions created basketball teams. In 1974, the national basketball federation FERWABA was established. Three years later, in 1977, the first national league was created.[3]
The 1994 Rwandan genocide threw the sport back, because Tutsi players, spectators and administrators died and crucial infrastructure was destroyed.[3]
In the 2000s, APR was the dominant team in Rwanda and it participated in the FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup thrice. Its best result was a bronze medal in 2009.
From 2011 to 2015, Espoir BBC won four straight national titles. From then, two newly established teams REG (owned by the Rwanda Energy Group) and Patriots entered the league. The two teams became rivals and played each other in the finals for several years.
In the 2020s, the Basketball Africa League (BAL) was introduced – the first editions were hosted by the BK Arena in Kigali. Patriots finished in fourth place in the inaugural 2021 season. The league changed its name to the Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) in 2023. FERWABA introduced two new competitions, the Rwanda Cup and the Rwanda Super Cup, for the 2024 season.[4]
Venues
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The league games in the regular season are usually stated in the Lycée de Kigali's indoor hall, which can seat 1,500 spectators, after it was revamped by FERWABA and NBA Africa in 2023.[5] Other games are played at Kepler University's indoor hall. Playoffs games are usually held at the 10,000-seater BK Arena (formerly the Kigali Arena), which was opened in 2019.[6] Another hall that is used is the Petit Arena, which was recently renovated to hold 1,500 people.
Current teams
edit2025 teams
editThe following teams will play in the 2025 BAL season:
| Team | City | Founded | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | Kigali | 1993 | |
| Azomco Global Flame | Bugesera | 2022 | 2025 |
| Espoir | Kigali | 2003 | |
| Flame | |||
| Patriots | 2014 | ||
| Kepler | 2022 | 2024 | |
| REG | 2016 | ||
| Orion BBC | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Tigers | 2019 | ||
| UGB | 1998 | ||
Sources: [7]
Former teams
edit| Team | City | Founded | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Plus | Kigali (Kimisagara) | 2006 | 2021 |
| Inspired Generation | Kigali | 2022 | 2024 |
| IPRC-Huye | Huye | ||
| IPRC-Kigali | Kigali | ||
| IPRC-Musanze | Ruhengeri, Musanze | ||
| Kigali Titans | Kigali | 2021 | 2024 |
| Rusizi | Rusizi | ||
| Shoot for the Stars | Kigali | ||
| University of Rwanda | Huye | ||
| University of Rwanda – CHMS | Kigali |
Champions
editThe following is a list of all documented Rwandan top-flight league champions:[9]
- 1995: APR
- 1996: APR
- 1997: APR
- 1998: APR
- 1999: APR
- 2000: APR
- 2001: APR
- 2002: APR
- 2003: APR
- 2004: Espoir
- 2005: APR
- 2006: APR
- 2007: Marines
- 2008: APR
- 2009: APR
- 2010: Kigali Basketball Club
- 2011: Kigali Basketball Club
- 2012: Espoir
- 2013: Espoir
- 2014: Espoir
- 2015: Espoir
- 2016: Patriots
- 2017: REG
- 2018: Patriots
- 2019: Patriots
- 2020: Patriots
- 2021: REG
- 2022: REG
- 2023: APR
- 2024: APR
Finals (2007–present)
editThe following is a list of the league's final playoff series, or if not applicable the season's final standings.
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Finals score | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Marines | CSK | ||
| 2007–08 | APR | Marines | ||
| 2008–09 | APR | |||
| 2009–10 | Kigali Basketball Club | APR | — | |
| 2010–11 | Kigali Basketball Club | |||
| 2011–12 | Espoir (1) | KBC | 3–1 |
[11] |
| 2012–13 | Espoir (2) | APR | 3–0 |
|
| 2013–14 | Espoir (3) | APR | — | |
| 2014–15 | Espoir (4) | Patriots | 3–1 |
[12] |
| 2015–16 | Patriots (1) | Espoir | — | |
| 2016–17 | Patriots (2) | REG | 3–1 |
[13] |
| 2017–18 | Patriots (2) | REG | 3–2 |
[14] |
| 2018–19 | Patriots (3) | REG | 4–3 |
[15] |
| 2019–20 | Patriots (4) | REG | 76–61 |
[16] |
| 2020–21 | REG (1) | Patriots | 2–0 |
[17] |
| 2021–22 | REG (2) | Patriots | 3–2
|
[18] |
| 2023 | APR (14) | REG | 4–0 | [19] |
| 2024 | APR (15) | Patriots | 4–2 | [20] |
Performance by club
edit| Club | Wins | Runners-up | Seasons won | Seasons runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 15 |
2 | 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2023, 2024 | 2013, 2014 |
| Espoir | 5 |
1 |
2004, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 | 2016 |
| Patriots | 4 |
4 |
2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 | 2017, 2021, 2022, 2024 |
| REG | 3 |
4 | 2017, 2021, 2022 | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023 |
| Kigali Basketball Club | 2 |
1 | 2010, 2011 | 2012 |
| Marines | 1 |
1 | 2007 | 2008 |
Individual awards
editMost Valuable Player
editAfter each RBL season, one player is named the Most valuable player of the competition. Olivier Shyaka is the only player to have won at least two MVP awards. Since the 2023 season, the RBL has an award for the best player in the regular season, as well as a separate one for the best player in the playoffs.
| Season | Player | Club | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season MVP | |||
| 2012 | Aristide Mugabe | Espoir | [21] |
| 2013 | Bienvenu Ngandu | Espoir (2) | [11] |
| 2014 | Mike Buzangu | Cercle Sportif de Kigali | [21] |
| 2015 | Olivier Shyaka | Espoir (3) | [12] |
| 2016 | Kubwimana Kazingufu Ali | Patriots | [22] |
| 2017 | Kami Kabange | REG | [13] |
| 2018 | Sedar Sagamba | Patriots (2) | |
| 2019 | Dieudonné Ndizeye | Patriots (3) | [23] |
| 2021 | Olivier Shyaka (2) | REG (2) | [17] |
| 2022 | Axel Mpoyo | REG (3) | [24] |
| Regular Season MVP | |||
| 2023 | Olivier Turatsinze | Espoir (4) | [25] |
| 2024 | Chad Jordan | Kepler | [26] |
Playoffs MVP
editSince 2023, the league also gives an award to the best performing player of the playoffs.
| Season | Player | Club | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza | APR | [27] |
| 2024 | Isaiah Miller | [20] |
Defensive Player of the Year
edit| Season | Player | Club | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Frank Kamdoh | UGB | [28] |
| 2024 | Pitchou Kambuy Manga | REG | [26] |
Most Improved Player
edit| Season | Player | Club | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fabrice "Musinza" Muhoza | Espoir | [26] |
Team of the Year
editPlayers in bold were named the season's Most Valuable Player.
| Season | Players | Coach of the Year | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | SG | SF | PF | C | ||
| 2014–15[12] | Aristide Mugabe (Espoir) | Mike Buzangu (KBC) | Lionnel Hakizimana (Espoir) | Olivier Shyaka (Espoir) | Bienvenue Ngandu (Espoir) | |
| 2016–17 | Aristide Mugabe (Patriots) | Benjamin Mukengerwa (REG) | Dieudonné Ndizeye (iPRC-Kigali) | Olivier Shyaka (Espoir) | Kami Kabange (REG) | |
| 2019–20[23] | Guibert Nijimbere (REG) | Wilson Nshobozwa (REG) | Dieudonné Ndizeye (Patriots) | Bienvenu Niyonsaba (APR) | Junior Kasongo (Patriots) | Henry Mwinuka (REG) |
| 2020–21[17] | Adonis Filer (REG) | Engelbert Beleck Bell (Patriots) | Dieudonné Ndizeye (Patriots) | Olivier Shyaka (REG) | Tom Wamukota (Patriots) | Henry Mwinuka (REG) |
| 2021–22[24] | Adonis Filer (REG) | Kenny Gasana (Patriots) | Steven Hagumintwari (Patriots) | Axel Mpoyo (REG) | Pitchou Kambuy Manga (REG) | Henry Mwinuka (REG) |
| 2023 | Not announced | Maz Trakh (APR)[28] | ||||
| 2024 | Henry Mwinuka (Patriots)[26] | |||||
In African competitions
editEach year, the champions of the NBL were placed for the qualifiers of the FIBA Africa Basketball League, the premiere pan-African competition. Since 2020, this league is replaced by the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The following list shows Rwandan teams which played in a main tournament:
| Club | Participations | Seasons | Best result |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 4 | 2007, 2008, 2009, 2024 |  3rd place (2009)
|
| REG | 2 | 2022, 2023 | Quarterfinals (2022) |
| Patriots | 1 | 2021 | Fourth place (2021) |
In the Basketball Africa League
editSince the 2023 season, the champions of the RBL qualify directly to the BAL, as the competition has determined them as designated market.
| Season | Representative | Road to BAL | Main competition | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | Result | Qualified | W | L | Result | |||
| 2021 | Patriots | 9 | 0 |  Gold
|
|
3 | 3 | Fourth place | |
| 2022 | REG | Qualified directly |
|
4 | 2 | Quarter-finals | |||
| 2023 | REG | Qualified directly |
|
3 | 3 | Quarter-finals | |||
| 2024 | APR | Qualified directly |
|
2 | 4 | Conference stage | |||
| Total | 9 | 0 | 12 | 12 | |||||
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ Rwanda: Basketball League - Espoir Wary of IPRC-Kigali Bishumba, Richard, All Africa. 25 March 2016, retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ "Basketball: Ferwaba releases draw for second division league". The New Times | Rwanda. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ a b "About Ferwaba – Rwanda Basketball Federation". Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (17 December 2023). "2024 basketball league set for February 9". The New Times. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (9 February 2023). "What revamped Lycee de Kigali gymnasium means for the school, Rwandan basketball". The New Times. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "10k-cap. Kigali Arena ready to open in Rwanda". 2 August 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ "Rwandan Basketball (Men) Teams". AfroBasket. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- ^ "Schedule". Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (21 August 2023). "Basketball: A look at the teams competing in playoffs". The New Times. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "KBC crowned Champions". The New Times | Rwanda. 27 September 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ a b Kamasa, Peter (17 November 2013). "Espoir's Ngangu named MVP". The New Times. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ a b c Bishumba, Richard (10 August 2015). "Espoir retain Hoops Play-offs title". The New Times. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ a b Bishumba, Richard (30 July 2017). "Patriots beat REG to win hoops playoff finals". The New Times. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (5 May 2018). "Patriots crowned basketball league champions". The New Times. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ "Les Patriots sacrés champions du Rwanda après avoir battu le REG BBC dans un Game 7 palpitant". NEWS BASKET BEAFRIKA (in French). Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Demba, Varore (25 October 2020). "Basket : Patriots champion du Rwanda". Sport News Africa (in French). Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "Basketball: REG crowned national league champions". The New Times | Rwanda. 31 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (19 September 2022). "REG retain championship after Patriots win". The New Times. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (9 September 2023). "PHOTOS: Basketball: APR clinch first championship in 14 years". The New Times. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ a b Sikubwabo, Damas (23 September 2024). "PHOTOS: APR see off Patriots in Game 6, win record 15th championship". The New Times. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Buzangu named hoops league 2014 MVP". The New Times. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ Asiimwe, Geoffrey (16 July 2016). "Meet Kubwimana, the 2015-16 MVP primed for stardom". The New Times. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ a b "PHOTOS: Ndizeye named MVP". The New Times | Rwanda. 2 November 2019.
- ^ a b Sikubwabo, Damas (24 September 2022). "Photos: Basketball: Axel Mpoyo named MVP as league winds up". The New Times. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ^ "https://twitter.com/ferwabaRW/status/1700472177521263036". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 29 October 2023.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ^ a b c d Munyeshuri, Evode (23 September 2024). "APR's Isaiah Jaleel Miller Named 2024 RBL Playoffs MVP. | Ground Sports Ground Sports |". Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b Sikubwabo, Damas (9 September 2023). "Nshobozwa, Trakh lead 2023 basketball league individual awards". The New Times. Retrieved 26 September 2024.