Patriots crowned 2018 Rwanda Champions, eye a slot for this year's FIBA Africa Champions Cup

KIGALI - Patriots Basketball Club are the new Rwandan national league champions after seeing off tight competition from arch-rivals REG who were title favourites earlier in the season. 

Henry Mwinuka's outfit have now won two national league titles in four years since inception in 2015 and according to team captain Aristide Mugabe, this can be attributed to the good organisation off the court. 

Patriots have now secured a ticket for the FIBA Africa Champions Cup 2018 Zone 5 Qualifiers, and according to Mugabe, this is always a feeling of contentment and pride for him and his teammates. 

"WINNING IS ALWAYS OUR OBJECTIVE AS PATRIOTS AND WE HAVE PLAYED WITH PASSION THIS SEASON AND WITH THAT, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A PLACE WHERE WE WANT TO BE. THIS MEANS A LOT FOR THE PLAYERS AND TEAM MANAGEMENT.” - Mugabe

Mugabe, who has won the national league title an impressive six times, finds himself in a unique class of players in the Land of Thousand Hills. 

He explained that, "We are happy to represent the country because that is what we have fought for. We wanted to go back to competing on a greater level. The last time out, we lost in the finals and now we want to go back and try to win again. We always want to do more." 

In their debut season, the Patriots finished second in the national league before winning their debut title the following year. Last year, they settled for second place before embarking on a campaign to return to the top where they now sit with a touch of excellence from teamwork built around individual brilliance. 

"This is big for us as Patriots. I thank God for all the blessings. Winning is easy but consistency is hard. I thank God who helps me to always compete with the same spirit and always have good team management and the boys who always back me up," the national team captain explained.

"It always comes down to the teammates around you as well as the team management and the fans who are always there to support us."

"Winning is always our objective as Patriots and we have played with passion this season and with that, we find ourselves in a place where we want to be. This means a lot for the players and team management."

FIBA