With their season hanging in the balance, defending champions APR came out swinging in Game 4 of the Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) semifinals, overpowering the Patriots in a high-stakes showdown at BK Arena.
After falling behind 2-1 in the best-of-five series, the Lions faced elimination—and responded like champions.
From the opening tip, APR played with a level of urgency and intensity that left little doubt about their intentions. They set the tone early, racing to a 23–16 lead by the end of the first quarter and stretching it to 43–30 by halftime. There was no let-up after the break. APR maintained control throughout the third quarter, effectively putting the game out of reach. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, it was already clear that there will be a game 5.
Center Aliou Diarra was a force on both ends of the floor, racking up 25 points and 18 rebounds in a dominant performance. Forward Axel Mpoyo, who had been quiet through the first three games, came alive at the perfect time, adding 19 crucial points to the scoreboard.
For the Patriots, Kamndoh Betoudji Frank dropped 19 points while Putney Raphael Rashad added 16, but it wasn’t enough to overcome APR’s momentum.
With the series now tied 2-2, the stage is set for a winner-takes-all Game 5—an epic decider to determine who moves on to the RBL Finals.