BY BONNIE MUGABE
APR Basketball Club head coach Cliff Owour is optimistic that the future of Rwandan basketball is bright after his team finished third in the 24th Fiba Africa Club championship, which ended Tuesday in Kigali.
Owuor said, “The future of the country’s basketball looks bright. The younger players will be motivated to play like these foreigner players, a feat which will elevate their standards in a few years to come.”
Cedric Isom powered his side to a third place finish after beating DR Congo’s ASB Mazembe 92-80 points. Isom led the floor with 37 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds to give his side a well deserved victory over the Congolese side that had rallied to an early lead of 22-16 and 23-21 of the first two quarters of the explosive game going into the break with a 45-37 points’ advantage.
Mazembe’s forward Mbav Kabwit recorded 26 points and 9 rebounds to pick the quarter at 20-21 to take a slim one point advantage into the last quarter and continued the bombardment of the Mazembe side with a barrage of three pointers by Isom who was on fire for his side.
Isom was joined by fellow point guard, Mathew Miller who netted 21 points and 3 assists, Robert Thomson recorded a double of 13 rebounds and 10 points while Michael Bazangu added 12 points and 7 rebounds.
Miller scooped the best three pointer gong while Isom was named in the team of the tournament.