2023_RBL_season
2023 RBL season
2023 season of the Rwanda Basketball League
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 will begin on 23 August and ended on 9 September 2023.[2]
| 2023 RBL season | |
|---|---|
| Association | FERWABA |
| League | Rwanda Basketball League |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | 12 January – 9 September 2023 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Regular season | |
| Top seed | REG |
| Season MVP | Olivier Turatsinze (Espoir) |
| Top scorer | Olivier 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 → | |
APR BBC won a record-extending 14th national title, following a clean sweep of defending champions REG BBC in the finals. With their win, APR ended a 14-year drought.[3] Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza was named Playoffs MVP.[4]
As champions, APR quaified directly for the 2024 BAL season.
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]
 Promoted from 2021-22 RBL D2 |
 Relegated from 2021-22 RBL |
|---|---|
| Kigali Titans Orion |
UR Huye UR CMHS |
The following non-African players played in the RBL in the 2023 season:[7]
- Patriots BBC
- Ater Majok (Lebanon)
- Michael Dixon (United States)
- Kigali Titans
- Will Perry (United States)
- Álvaro Calvo Masa (Spain)[8]
- APR
- Demarcus Holland (United States)
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
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | REG | 22 | 20 | 2 | 1980 | 1358 | +622 | 42 | Advance to playoffs |
| 2 | Patriots | 22 | 19 | 3 | 1868 | 1286 | +582 | 41 | |
| 3 | APR | 22 | 19 | 3 | 2054 | 1279 | +775 | 41 | |
| 4 | Espoir | 22 | 15 | 7 | 1838 | 1590 | +248 | 37 | |
| 5 | Kigali Titans | 22 | 12 | 10 | 1639 | 1599 | +40 | 34 | |
| 6 | Orion | 22 | 12 | 10 | 1614 | 1702 | −88 | 34 | |
| 7 | Tigers | 22 | 11 | 11 | 1537 | 1496 | +41 | 33 | |
| 8 | UGB | 22 | 10 | 12 | 1536 | 1580 | −44 | 32 | |
| 9 | RP-IPRC Huye (R) | 22 | 5 | 17 | 1424 | 1777 | −353 | 27 | Relegated to Division 2 |
| 10 | Shoot For The Stars (R) | 22 | 6 | 16 | 1325 | 1700 | −375 | 25[lower-alpha 1] | |
| 11 | IPRC-Kigali (R) | 22 | 2 | 20 | 1381 | 1913 | −532 | 24 | |
| 12 | RP-IPRC Musanze (R) | 22 | 1 | 21 | 1129 | 2105 | −976 | 23 |
Results
| Home \ Away | APR | ESP | IKR | KTT | ORN | PTT | REG | RPH | RPM | SFT | TIG | UGB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APR | — | 80–35 | 106–59 | 74–58 | 85–72 | 74–87 | 73–63 | 116–23 | 106–36 | 119–42 | 82–68 | 97–54 |
| Espoir | 76–118 | — | 90–66 | 68–63 | 81–71 | 71–74 | 70–76 | 110–76 | 114–54 | 103–78 | 69–63 | 73–56 |
| IPRC-Kigali | 48–99 | 67–109 | — | 57–83 | 68–97 | 50–69 | 68–104 | 44–56 | 79–59 | 68–79 | 79–90 | 45–81 |
| Kigali Titans | 46–119 | 74–87 | 91–87 | — | 73–55 | 50–123 | 65–99 | 88–70 | 111–43 | 80–67 | 74–82 | 79–88 |
| Orion | 48–121 | 88–85 | 92–69 | 75–73 | — | 48–79 | 78–103 | 79–63 | 97–41 | 71–70 | 75–83 | 72–67 |
| Patriots | 67–60 | 83–61 | 98–40 | 85–98 | 116–61 | — | 73–72 | 75–54 | 112–37 | 95–67 | 77–62 | 73–64 |
| REG | 75–77 | 82–64 | 97–53 | 82–59 | 103–51 | 83–69 | — | 95–67 | 113–44 | 101–50 | 78–61 | 84–75 |
| RP-IPRC Huye | 69–89 | 84–114 | 78–51 | 74–101 | 75–96 | 60–93 | 59–110 | — | 69–65 | 20–0 | 53–78 | 54–63 |
| RP-IPRC Musanze | 43–88 | 59–126 | 72–74 | 41–109 | 59–79 | 49–108 | 39–99 | 54–85 | — | 81–78 | 28–82 | 53–96 |
| Shoot For The Stars | 66–97 | 69–91 | 107–84 | 0–20 | 60–72 | 0–20 | 56–104 | 79–75 | 86–57 | — | 63–76 | 77–74 |
| Tigers | 75–72 | 48–74 | 75–53 | 66–78 | 62–74 | 71–113 | 48–64 | 70–62 | 103–52 | 64–71 | — | 50–51 |
| UGB | 69–102 | 61–67 | 81–72 | 57–66 | 66–63 | 53–80 | 60–92 | 107–98 | 91–63 | 68–60 | 54–60 | — |
Legend: Blue = home team win; Red = away team win.
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 | 3 | Third place | ||||||
| 2 | Patriots | 0 | |||||||
| 4 | Espoir | 1 | |||||||
Semifinals
(1) REG vs. (4) Espoir
(2) Patriots vs. (3) APR
Third place game
Finals
Season awards
The winners of the annual awards were announced after the last game of the finals, on 9 September.[10]
- Playoffs Most Valuable Player: Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, APR
- Coach of the Year: Maz Trakh, APR
- Top Scorer: Olivier Turatsinze, Espoir
- Best 3pt Shooter: Nshimiyimana Yoronimu, IPRC Kigali
- Best Defender: Frank Kamndoh, United Generations Basketball
Individual statistical leaders
After the regular season.[12]
| Category | Player | Team(s) | Statistic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | Olivier Turatzinse | Espoir | 471 |
| Rebounds | Kamndoh Betoudji Frank | United Generations for Basketball | 269 |
| AssiSFT | Jean de Dieu Niyungeho | Espoir | 125 |
| Steals | Olivier Turatzinse | Espoir | 69 |
| Blocks | Kamndoh Betoudji Frank | United Generations for Basketball | 59 |
- Sikubwabo, Damas (12 January 2023). "Basketball is back!". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (16 August 2023). "Basketball league playoffs due on August 23". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (9 September 2023). "PHOTOS: Basketball: APR clinch first championship in 14 years". The New Times. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (9 September 2023). "Nshobozwa, Trakh lead 2023 basketball league individual awards". The New Times. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (17 July 2022). "Basketball: Orion promoted to topflight league". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (11 January 2023). "Kigali Titans: What you need to know about the ambitious topflight newcomers". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (9 August 2023). "Basketball: Competition hots up as APR, Patriots reinforce rosters". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (15 February 2023). "Spaniard Masa signs for Kigali Titans". The New Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (3 September 2023). "Patriots forfeit Game 1 in third-place playoffs". The New Times. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (9 September 2023). "Nshobozwa, Trakh lead 2023 basketball league individual awards". The New Times.
- 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.