Dynamo Basketball Club, also known simply as Dynamo, is a basketball club based in Bujumbura, Burundi. Established in 1968,[1] the team competes in both the Viva Basketball League and the Bujumbura Amateurs Basketball Club Association (ACBAB).

Dynamo
2023–24 Dynamo BBC season
Dynamo logo
LeaguesBAL
Viva Basketball League
ACBAB
Founded1968; 56 years ago (1968)
HistoryDynamo BBC
(1968–present)
LocationBujumbura, Burundi
Team colorsGreen, silver, white
     
Main sponsorBekra Pharma, Ltd.
Head coachOlivier Ndayiragije
Championships3 (2016, 2018, 2023)
Cup titles4 (2017, 2018, 2020, 2023)
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away

In the 2024 season, Dynamo played in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) as the first team from Burundi to play in the league. After winning their opening game, the team was forced to withdraw after it refused to wear a logo advertising Rwanda, over political reasons.

History

edit

Dynamo Basketball Club was founded in 1968.

On September 25, 2016, Dynamo won its first-ever Burundian National Championship.[2]

In the 2017–18 season, Dynamo had a historically successful season, winning the ACBAB title, Heroes' Cup, and President's Cup.[3] Their Bujumbura title was their first since 20 years earlier, in 1998.[4]

The team captured another ACBAB championship in 2019. Dynamo also qualified for the 2020 BAL Qualifying Tournaments.[5]

2024 BAL season

edit

Dynamo won their fourth national championship in 2023.[6] They then played in the 2024 BAL qualification tournament, and on 26 November 2023 they clinched their participation in the 2024 season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).[7] Dynamo defeated the Malagasy team COSPN 79–78 in the third place game, became the first team from Burundi to play in the league, and the first Elite 16 wild card to advance to the main tournament.[7]

In the opening day game between Dynamo and South Africa's Cape Town Tigers, the Burundian side taped off the logo of league sponsor Visit Rwanda. Political tensions between the two border nations Burundi and Rwanda had been rising, as Burundi has accused Rwanda of supporting the RED-Tabara rebel militia in the country.[8][9] Dynamo forfeited their second game against FUS Rabat on 10 March, with the BAL citing "refusing to comply with the league’s rules governing jersey and uniform requirements" as the reason why.[10] Following Dynamo's second forfeit on 12 March, the team was automatically withdrawn from the group as per FIBA rules.[11] Dynamo players Bryton Hobbs and Makhtar Gueye stated that the Burundian government had prohibited the team to wear the logo and ordered the club to forfeit its games if necessary.[8][12]

Honours

edit

Burundian National Championship

Heroes' Cup

President's Cup

  • Champions (1): 2018

ACBAB

  • Champions (3): 1998, 2018, 2019

In African competitions

edit

Road to BAL (2 appearances)

2020 – First round
2024 – Third Place

Players

edit

2024 BAL season roster

edit

The following was Dynamo's roster in the 2024 BAL season in March 2024.

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

Dynamo roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age
PG 0   Nijimbere, Guibert 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) 29 – (1995-01-01)1 January 1995
PG 1   Hobbs, Bryton (C) 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 33 – (1991-11-14)14 November 1991
SG 2   Deng, Dhieu 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 23 – (2001-08-28)28 August 2001
PF 5   Bitigirimbango, Derrick 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 26 – (1998-01-19)19 January 1998
G/F 7   Gueye, Makhtar 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 27 – (1997-01-07)7 January 1997
SG 10   Ndikuriyo, Richard 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) 27 – (1997-05-15)15 May 1997
SG 11   Alvin, Ninziza 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 33 – (1991-06-08)8 June 1991
SF 12   Bujeje, Romis 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 25 – (1998-11-25)25 November 1998
SF 14   Camara, Mohamed 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 19 – (2005-04-01)1 April 2005
PF 24   Karabona, Clement 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 23 – (2001-07-10)10 July 2001
C 28   Williams, Morakinyo 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) 26 – (1998-08-29)29 August 1998
C 50   Otobo, Israel 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 20 – (2004-05-31)31 May 2004
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  •   Injured

Updated: 15 March 2024

References

edit
  1. ^ "Basketball: «Dynamo est une équipe expérimentée»". AKEZA Burundi (in French). 25 October 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Basketball : Dynamo sacré champion national – IWACU". www.iwacu-burundi.org. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  3. ^ Mugisha, Hervé (31 December 2018). "Dynamo, l'aboutissement…". IWACU Burundi (in French). Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  4. ^ Bukuru, Pacifique (30 July 2018). "Basketball: Dynamo, sacré champion de Bujumbura après 20 ans dans l'ombre". Jimbere (in French). Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  5. ^ Mugisha, Hervé (26 August 2019). "Dynamo et Les Gazelles sur le toit du basketball national". IWACU Burundi (in French). Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Kenya Moran's Ariel Okal celebrate sixth league title as Dynamo edge out holders Urunani in Burundi". Afrobasket. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Dynamo outlast COSPN, secure last BAL ticket". FIBA.basketball. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Burundi's Dynamo exit Basketball Africa League over jersey row". Reuters. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Burundi's Dynamo BC out of BAL over Visit Rwanda protest". ESPN.com. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Dynamo Basketball Club forfeits game against FUS Rabat Basketball". The BAL. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Basketball Africa League President Amadou Gallo Fall Statement regarding Dynamo Basketball Club". The BAL. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  12. ^ Reporter, Times (11 March 2024). "BAL 2024: Gueye slams Burundi's interference amid Dynamo forfeit". The New Times. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Burundi / Basketball : Dynamo sacré champion 2016 en battant Imbeya de Gitega 70 - 59 -". 26 September 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  14. ^ "L'équipe Dynamo remporte la coupe des Héros". www.rtnb.bi. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  15. ^ Bahimpundu, Cédric (22 October 2018). "Coupe des héros : Dynamo et Les Gazelles en feu". Jimbere (in French). Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  16. ^ Bukuru, Pacifique (2 November 2020). "Coupe des Héros : Dynamo et les Gazelles encore ultra dominateurs". Jimbere (in French). Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  17. ^ "Dynamo BBC remporte la coupe des héros – Indundi Culture | Radio". Retrieved 28 November 2023.
edit