2023 RBL season

2023 RBL season
AssociationFERWABA
LeagueRwanda Basketball League
SportBasketball
Duration12 January – 9 September 2023
Number of teams12
Regular season
Top seedREG
Season MVPOlivier Turatsinze (Espoir)
Top scorerOlivier Turatsinze (Espoir)
Relegated to Division 2RP-IPRC Huye
RP-IPRC Kigali
Shoot For The Stars
RP-IPRC Musanze
Playoffs
Playoffs MVPJean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza
(APR)
Finals championsAPR
(14th title)
  Runners-upREG
Seasons

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]

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]

Increase Promoted from 2021-22 RBL D2 Decrease 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

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[a]
11 IPRC-Kigali (R) 22 2 20 1381 1913 −532 24
12 RP-IPRC Musanze (R) 22 1 21 1129 2105 −976 23
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 \ 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 —
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 3 Third 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]

  • 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

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. ^ a b 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.