APR kicked off their Basketball Africa League (BAL) Nile Conference campaign with an impressive 92-63 victory over Kenya’s Nairobi City Thunder (NCT). Their dominant performance sent a clear message to the rest of the teams in the conference: We are here to secure a ticket to Pretoria.
Once again, Kigali’s growing hoops culture was on full display. Fans packed the arena and brought the buzz early, setting the stage for a fiery contest. The energy inside BK Arena was electric from tip-off to final buzzer, with the home supporters fueling Rwanda's flag bearers throughout the game.
As the fans anticipated a hotly-contested showdown, NCT hit the hardwood running. Led by Tylor Ongwae, the Kenyan debutants edged ahead and took a 23-22 lead after the first quarter. But APR stayed composed, with Aliou Diarra, Dane Miller Jr. and Chasson Randle steadying the ship. By the second quarter, the hosts began asserting control, and headed to the locker room with a 39-31 advantage.
In the third quarter, APR turned up the pressure, with Aliou Diarra wrecking havoc. His contribution across the board—21 points, 12 rebounds, 6 blocks, 4 assists, and 2 steals—was simply spectacular. Habimana Ntore, Obadiah Noel, and Chasson Randle controlled the tempo as the Rwandan side extended their lead to 59-51 heading into the fourth quarter. That’s when the floodgates opened. The Lions went on a 33-12 run in the final period, thrilling their fans with fast breaks, nothing-but-net threes, and alley-oops.
Tylor Ongwae led NCT with 14 points, but it was a tough night for his supporting cast, especially Evans Ganapamo, who went 0-for-16 from the field and scored just one point from the free-throw line.
With this win, APR not only made a strong statement on the court but also reignited BAL fever in Kigali. The atmosphere, the performance, and the passion from the fans turned the night into a festival of basketball—a perfect start to the tournament for the hosts.