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