Michael Dixon Jr (centre) one of APR’s key players, dribbles.
2023 Rwanda National Basketball champions APR BBC defeated Qatar’s champions AL Rayyan by 84-77 points to win their second friendly game as they prepare for the The Basketball Africa League (BAL) taking place later this year.
APR BBC is in Qatar since February 19th for a 10- days training camp ahead of upcoming fourth BAL season that will take place in three different African cities for group stages (Conferences) and playoffs to take place in Kigali-Rwanda this May.
APR BBC head coach, Mazen Trakh lined up his team in the toughest way as he decided to start with Michael Dixon Jr, Adonis Filer, Zion Styles, Dan Manzi, and Dario Hunt.
The game kicked off with a balance on both sides but the visitors were not good at finishing the last shots in the first quarter which ended in favour of AL Rayyan leading by 23 to 22 points.
Adonis Filer shoots during the game.
In the following quarters of the game there were no big gaps in points between the two sides but the visitors APR upped the game and dominated the proceedings until the end.
The game was also attended by the Rwandan ambassador to Qatar, Igor Marara. Earlier on, APR BBC beat Qatar’s Al Wakrah Basketball Club during their first friendly game by 108-80 points.
APR BBC is the only Rwandan team placed in the Sahara Conference in the regular season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2024 alongside Tunisia’s US Monastir, AS Douanes of Senegal and Nigerian Champions Rivers Hoopers.
The Sahara Conference will take place at Dakar Arena, in Senegal, from May 4-12.
This will be the first participation on APR BBC’s side in the BAL since the inaugural in 2021 and having missed out on the three previous occasions, including the first season for Patriots BBC, where they reached the semi-finals, and REG BBC, which participated twice but failed to reach Semis.
The game was attended by the Rwandan ambassador to Qatar, Igor Marara (middle in suit) and other officials.
