2023 RBL season

Last updated

2023 RBL season
Association FERWABA
League Rwanda Basketball League
Sport Basketball
Duration12 January – 9 September 2023
Number of teams12
Regular season
Top seed REG
Season MVPOlivier Turatsinze (Espoir)
Top scorerOlivier Turatsinze (Espoir)
Relegated to Division 2 RP-IPRC Huye
RP-IPRC Kigali
Shoot For The Stars
RP-IPRC Musanze
Playoffs
Playoffs MVP Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza
(APR)
Finals champions APR
(14th title)
  Runners-up REG
Seasons
2024 →

The 2023 RBL season was the second season of the Rwanda Basketball League under its current name, while the top-level competition has been organised by the FERWABA for a longer time. The season began on 12 January 2023 with the regular season. [1] The playoffs began on 23 August and ended on 9 September 2023. [2]

Contents

APR won a record-extending 14th national title, following a clean sweep of defending champions REG in the finals. With their victory, APR ended a 14-year title drought. [3] APR guard Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza was named Playoffs MVP. [4]

As champions, APR quaified directly for the 2024 BAL season.

Team changes

Team changes

Orion was promoted on 17 July 2022 after reaching the finals of the Rwanda Basketball League Division 2. [5] Kigali Titans were also promoted as the D2 champions. [6]

Increase2.svg Promoted from 2021-22 RBL D2Decrease2.svg Relegated from 2021-22 RBL
Kigali Titans
Orion 		UR Huye
UR CMHS

Foreign players

The following non-African players played in the RBL in the 2023 season: [7]

Regular season

The regular season was decreased from thirteen to twelve teams. This season, four teams are relegated to the Division 2, and the 2024 season will begin with ten teams.

Standings

PosTeamPldWLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 REG 2220219801358+62242Advance to playoffs
2 Patriots 2219318681286+58241
3 APR 2219320541279+77541
4 Espoir 2215718381590+24837
5 Kigali Titans 22121016391599+4034
6 Orion 22121016141702−8834
7 Tigers 22111115371496+4133
8 UGB 22101215361580−4432
9RP-IPRC Huye (R)2251714241777−35327Relegated to Division 2
10Shoot For The Stars (R)2261613251700−37525 [lower-alpha 1]
11 IPRC-Kigali (R)2222013811913−53224
12RP-IPRC Musanze (R)2212111292105−97623
Source: FERWABA
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ↑ Shoot For The Stars were given three automatic 20–0 losses, and were given zero points for the games.

Results

Home \ AwayAPRESPIKRKTTORNPTTREGRPHRPMSFTTIGUGB
APR —80–35106–5974–5885–7274–8773–63116–23106–36119–4282–6897–54
Espoir 76–118—90–6668–6381–7171–7470–76110–76114–54103–7869–6373–56
IPRC-Kigali 48–9967–109—57–8368–9750–6968–10444–5679–5968–7979–9045–81
Kigali Titans 46–11974–8791–87—73–5550–12365–9988–70111–4380–6774–8279–88
Orion 48–12188–8592–6975–73—48–7978–10379–6397–4171–7075–8372–67
Patriots 67–6083–6198–4085–98116–61—73–7275–54112–3795–6777–6273–64
REG 75–7782–6497–5382–59103–5183–69—95–67113–44101–5078–6184–75
RP-IPRC Huye69–8984–11478–5174–10175–9660–9359–110—69–6520–053–7854–63
RP-IPRC Musanze43–8859–12672–7441–10959–7949–10839–9954–85—81–7828–8253–96
Shoot For The Stars66–9769–91107–840–2060–720–2056–10479–7586–57—63–7677–74
Tigers 75–7248–7475–5366–7862–7471–11348–6470–62103–5264–71—50–51
UGB 69–10261–6781–7257–6666–6353–8060–92107–9891–6368–6054–60—
Source: FERWABA
Legend: Blue = home team win; Red = away team win.

Playoffs


By losing the semi-finals to APR BBC, the Patriots did not reach the finals for the first time in 9 years. APR won finals in a clean sweep, defeating the defending champions REG BBC in four games. This was the league’s first-ever sweep since introducing the best-of-seven format.

In the third place series, the Patriots forfeited Game 1 after not showing up, which resulted in a victory for Espoir BBC. [9]

Semifinals Finals
      
1 REG 3
4 Espoir 0
1 REG 0
3 APR 4
2 Patriots 0
3 APR 3Third place
2 Patriots 0
4 Espoir 1

Semifinals

(1) REG vs. (4) Espoir

August 23, 2023
7:00 PM
REG 85–79 Espoir
August 25, 2023
9:00 PM
Espoir 53–93 REG
August 27, 2023
5:00 PM
REG 96–60 Espoir

(2) Patriots vs. (3) APR

August 23, 2023
9:00 PM
Patriots 59–69 APR
August 25, 2023
9:00 PM
APR 70–63 Patriots
August 27, 2023
7:30 PM
Patriots 52–62 APR

Third place game

September 3, 2023
2:30 PM
Patriots 0–20 Espoir

Finals

September 1, 2023
9:00 PM
REG 62–68 APR
September 3, 2023
7:30 PM
APR 74–62 REG
September 6, 2023
9:00 PM
REG 75–80 APR
September 8, 2023
9:30 PM
APR 80–68 REG
Petit Stade Remera

Awards and statistics

Season awards

The winners of the annual awards were announced after the last game of the finals, on 9 September. [10]

Individual statistical leaders

After the regular season. [12]

CategoryPlayerTeam(s)Statistic
PointsOlivier Turatzinse Espoir 471
ReboundsKamndoh Betoudji FrankUnited Generations for Basketball269
AssiSFTJean de Dieu NiyungehoEspoir125
StealsOlivier TuratzinseEspoir69
BlocksKamndoh Betoudji FrankUnited Generations for Basketball59

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References

  1. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (12 January 2023). "Basketball is back!". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  2. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (16 August 2023). "Basketball league playoffs due on August 23". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  3. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (9 September 2023). "PHOTOS: Basketball: APR clinch first championship in 14 years". The New Times. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  4. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (9 September 2023). "Nshobozwa, Trakh lead 2023 basketball league individual awards". The New Times. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  5. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (17 July 2022). "Basketball: Orion promoted to topflight league". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  6. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (11 January 2023). "Kigali Titans: What you need to know about the ambitious topflight newcomers". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  7. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (9 August 2023). "Basketball: Competition hots up as APR, Patriots reinforce rosters". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  8. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (15 February 2023). "Spaniard Masa signs for Kigali Titans". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (3 September 2023). "Patriots forfeit Game 1 in third-place playoffs". The New Times. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  10. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (9 September 2023). "Nshobozwa, Trakh lead 2023 basketball league individual awards". The New Times.
  11. 1 2 FERWABA (9 September 2023). "Congratulations to Olivier Turatsinze, the #RBL2023 MVP and the top scorer of the 2023 League". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  12. ↑ "Leaders". FERWABA. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
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