Macron, Kagame attend Basketball Africa League game in Kigali
KIGALI (Rwanda) - On the day that the hosts of the 2021 BAL, Patriots BBC advanced to the Semi-Finals of the newly-launched competition, there were a number of special guests at Kigali Arena.
KIGALI (Rwanda) - On the day that the hosts of the 2021 Basketball Africa League (BAL), Patriots BBC advanced to the Semi-Finals of the newly-launched competition, a partnership between FIBA and the NBA, there were a number of special guests at Kigali Arena.
President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, on Thursday, attended the second BAL Quarter-Finals between Patriots BBC and Mozambique's Ferroviario de Maputo alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.
The two dignitaries were joined by FIBA President Hamane Niang, FIBA Africa President and BAL President of the Board Anibal Manave, NBA Africa President Victor Williams, BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall and FIBA Africa Executive Director Alphonse Bile.
President Macron, who was on a two-day state visit to Rwanda, expressed his delight in watching the BAL game with Paul Kagame. "And what pleasure to see France supporting this unprecedented competition," he tweeted.
Quelle joie de partager un match de la Basketball Africa League avec @PaulKagame ! Et quelle fierté de voir la France soutenir cette compétition inédite. Là où l'on bâtit des terrains, là où l'on amène le sport, on agit concrètement pour le développement et l'inclusion sociale. pic.twitter.com/K7P3WC94yC
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 27, 2021
The almost sold-out Kigali Arena saw Patriots get away with a 73-71 victory. They will face Tunisian champions US Monastir in the Semi-Finals on Saturday, May 29.
Patriots BBC prevailed, but their win didn't come easy as the team's captain Aristide Mugabe later admitted: "It's an honor for us to play in front of our President, and, of course, the honorable guests. We had to make sure we make him proud."
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The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA, is a new professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa. The BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA has organized in Africa and marks the NBA's first collaboration to operate a league outside North America.
FIBA