Rwanda men's national basketball team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Rwanda women's national basketball team.

Rwanda Rwanda
FIBA ranking90 Increase 2 (26 November 2024)[1]
Joined FIBA1977
FIBA zoneFIBA Africa
National federationRwandan Basketball Federation (FERWABA)
CoachCheikh Sarr
FIBA World Cup
Appearances0
AfroBasket
Appearances6
AfroCan
Appearances1
MedalsBronze Bronze: (2023)

Rwanda men's national basketball team is a basketball team that represents Rwanda in international competitions. It is administered by the Rwandan Basketball Federation (FERWABA)[2] Rwanda has yet to qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup, but has qualified for the AfroBasket six times.

Before 2000, Team Rwanda was virtually unknown to most basketball fans worldwide. Since the mid-2000s however, the team slowly but surely has made a name for itself. Team Rwanda has emerged as a major force in East Africa and has qualified for the AfroBasket, Africa's prime basketball event, four times in a row between 2007 and 2013.[3]

At the AfroBasket 2021 on home soil, Rwanda beat Angola, winner of ten AfroBasket editions between 1989 and 2013. The victory was considered an enormous achievement of the national team.[4]

Rwanda won a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA AfroCan in Angola, the first ever podium finish in the country's history.[5]

Competitive record

Basketball World Cup

Year Round Position GP W L
Argentina 1950 Not a FIBA member
Brazil 1954
Chile 1959
Brazil 1963
Uruguay 1967
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1970
Puerto Rico 1974
Philippines 1978
Colombia 1982 Did not enter
Spain 1986
Argentina 1990
Canada 1994
Greece 1998
United States 2002
Japan 2006 Did not qualify
Turkey 2010
Spain 2014
China 2019
Philippines Japan Indonesia 2023
Qatar 2027 To be determined
Total 0 0 0

AfroBasket

Year Round Position GP W L
Senegal 1978 Did not qualify
Morocco 1980
Somalia 1981
Egypt 1983
Ivory Coast 1985
Tunisia 1987
Angola 1989
Egypt 1992
Kenya 1993
Algeria 1995
Senegal 1997
Angola 1999
Morocco 2001
Egypt 2003
Algeria 2005
Angola 2007 Classification rounds 12th 6 1 5
Libya 2009 Classification rounds 9th 8 5 3
Madagascar 2011 Round of 16 12th 5 1 4
Ivory Coast 2013 Round of 16 10th 5 1 4
Tunisia 2015 Did not qualify
Tunisia Senegal 2017 Preliminary round 10th 3 1 2
Rwanda 2021 Round of 16 10th 4 2 2
Angola 2025 To be determined
Total 31 11 20

Note: Red border denotes that the tournament was held on home soil.

FIBA AfroCan

Year Round Position GP W L
Mali 2019 Did not qualify
Angola 2023 3rd place 3rd 6 3 3
Total Third place 1/2 6 2 3

African Games

See also: Basketball at the African Games
Year Round Position GP W L
Mozambique 2011 Quarter-finals 7th 7 2 5
Republic of the Congo 2015 Did not qualify
Total 7 2 5

Team

Kenny Gasana playing for the Rwandan national team in 2017

Current roster

Roster for the AfroBasket 2021.[6]

Rwanda men's national basketball team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
PG 4 Jean Nshobozwabyose 23 – (1998-06-26)26 June 1998 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Patriots Rwanda
G 5 Ntore Habimana 24 – (1997-08-15)15 August 1997 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks Canada
SG 6 Steven Hagumintwari 27 – (1993-10-01)1 October 1993 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Patriots Rwanda
SG 7 Armel Sangwe 24 – (1997-04-15)15 April 1997 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Espoir Rwanda
SG 8 Emile Kazeneza 20 – (2000-08-30)30 August 2000 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) William Carey University United States
SG 9 Dieudonné Ndizeye 24 – (1996-10-14)14 October 1996 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Patriots Rwanda
PF 10 Olivier Shyaka 26 – (1995-08-14)14 August 1995 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) REG Rwanda
F 11 Alex Mpoyo 24 – (1997-01-05)5 January 1997 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) Trepça Kosovo
SG 12 Kenny Gasana 36 – (1984-11-09)9 November 1984 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Patriots Rwanda
C 13 Elie Kaje 26 – (1995-03-17)17 March 1995 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Patriots Rwanda
C 16 Prince Ibeh 27 – (1994-06-03)3 June 1994 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) Patriots Rwanda
SF 17 William Robeyns 25 – (1996-02-23)23 February 1996 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) Phoenix Brussels Belgium
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Rwanda Yves Murenzi
  • Rwanda Henry Mwinuka
Legend
  • Club – describes last
    club before the competition
  • Age – describes age
    on 24 August 2021

Depth chart

Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Prince Ibeh Elie Kaje
PF Alex Mpoyo Olivier Shyaka
SF William Robeyns Armel Sangwe
SG Emile Kazeneza Dieudonné Ndizeye Steven Hagumintwari
PG Kenny Gasana Jean Nshobozwabyose Ntore Habimana

Head coach position

Past rosters

Team for the 2013 FIBA Africa Championship.

2013 FIBA Africa Championship
Rwanda men's national basketball team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club
4 Olivier Shyaka 18 – (1995-08-14)14 August 1995 Espoir BC
SF 5 Patrice Twagirayezu 19 – (1994-07-05)5 July 1994 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) Asheville Christian Academy
F/C 6 Thierry Suku Suku 24 – (1989-07-12)12 July 1989 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
G 7 Lionel Hakizimana 20 – (1992-12-13)13 December 1992 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Espoir BC
G 8 Aristide Mugabe 25 – (1988-02-11)11 February 1988 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Espoir BC
G 9 Aboubakar Barame 29 – (1984-04-26)26 April 1984 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) Espoir BC
F 10 Hamza Ruhezamihigo 28 – (1985-03-27)27 March 1985 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) Riviere des Prairies Jaguars
F 11 Cameroun Bradley 22 – (1991-02-27)27 February 1991 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Espoir BC
F 12 Kenneth Gasana 28 – (1984-11-09)9 November 1984 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) Chabab Rif Al Hoceima
F 13 Daniel Rugamba 26 – (1987-03-16)16 March 1987 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) CSK Basket-Ball Club
C 14 Kami Kabangu 29 – (1984-07-02)2 July 1984 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Espoir BC
Head coach
Legend
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on 20 August 2013

At AfroBasket 2015 qualification:[8]

AfroBasket 2015 qualification
Rwanda men's national basketball team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club
Aboubakar Ally Barame 31 – (1984-04-26)26 April 1984 Espoir BC Rwanda
Cameroun Curtis Bradley 24 – (1991-02-27)27 February 1991 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Michiana Monarch United States
G Kenneth Gasana 30 – (1984-11-09)9 November 1984 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) Al Gezira Cairo Egypt
Nicolas Frédéric Robert Gihana 30 – (1985-03-24)24 March 1985
Pacifique Habyarimana 19 – (1996-08-16)16 August 1996 Rwanda
Steven Hagumintwari 21 – (1993-10-01)1 October 1993 Rwanda
Lionel Hakizimana 22 – (1992-12-13)13 December 1992 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Espoir BC Rwanda
Parfait Ishimwe 20 – (1995-05-28)28 May 1995 Rwanda
Kami Kabangu 31 – (1984-07-02)2 July 1984 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Espoir BC Rwanda
Elie Kaje 20 – (1995-03-17)17 March 1995 Rwanda
Pascal Karekezi Rurangirwa 20 – (1994-12-01)1 December 1994 Rwanda
Ali Kubwimana Kazingufu 19 – (1995-12-29)29 December 1995 Rwanda
Dan Manzi 19 – (1995-10-02)2 October 1995 Rwanda
Nestor Ernest Manzi 20 – (1994-12-04)4 December 1994 Rwanda
Aristide Mugabe (C) 27 – (1988-02-11)11 February 1988 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Espoir BC Rwanda
Olivier Muhizi 27 – (1988-03-20)20 March 1988 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Rwanda
Niyomugabo Sunny Munyandamutsa 20 – (1994-10-01)1 October 1994
Jean Paul Ndoli 20 – (1995-04-30)30 April 1995 Rwanda
Hamza Ruhezamihigo 30 – (1985-03-27)27 March 1985 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Rivière des Prairies Jaguars Canada
Jean-Paul Adonis Rwabigwi 20 – (1995-06-09)9 June 1995
Olivier Shyaka 20 – (1995-08-14)14 August 1995 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) Kigali BC Rwanda
Thierry Suku Suku 26 – (1989-07-12)12 July 1989 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) ASS Lagnieu France
SF 5 Patrice Twagirayezu 21 – (1994-07-05)5 July 1994 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) Asheville Christian Academy United States
Head coach
Legend
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on 19 August 2015

Kit

Manufacturer

2013 – Nike[9]

2017–present Erreà

See also

References

  1. ^ "FIBA Ranking Presented by Nike". FIBA. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  2. ^ FIBA National Federations – Rwanda, fiba.com. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  3. ^ [1], fiba.com. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  4. ^ AfroBasket : La chute de l’Angola, le peps du Rwanda BasketEurope.com, 27 August 2021. Accessed 17 October 2021.(in French)
  5. ^ "Rwanda see off DR Congo for historic podium finish". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Team Roster Rwanda". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  7. ^ Head coaches, fiba.com. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  8. ^ Rwanda|2015 Afrobasket, ARCHIVE.FIBA.COM. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  9. ^ Byarangije kwemezwa ko umukinnyi Kami Kabangu Milambwe w’amavubi agiye gukina muri Maroc !, FERWABA, 19 October 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2016. (in Kinyarwanda)

Videos