Rwanda men's national basketball team is a basketball team that represents Rwanda in international competitions. It is administered by the Rwandan Basketball Federation (FERWABA)[2] Rwanda has yet to qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup, but has qualified for the AfroBasket six times.
Before 2000, Team Rwanda was virtually unknown to most basketball fans worldwide. Since the mid-2000s however, the team slowly but surely has made a name for itself. Team Rwanda has emerged as a major force in East Africa and has qualified for the AfroBasket , Africa's prime basketball event, four times in a row between 2007 and 2013.[3]
At the AfroBasket 2021 on home soil, Rwanda beat Angola , winner of ten AfroBasket editions between 1989 and 2013. The victory was considered an enormous achievement of the national team.[4]
Rwanda won a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA AfroCan in Angola, the first ever podium finish in the country's history.[5]
Competitive record
Basketball World Cup
AfroBasket
Note: Red border denotes that the tournament was held on home soil.
FIBA AfroCan
Year
Round
Position
GP
W
L
2019
Did not qualify
2023
3rd place
3rd
6
3
3
Total
Third place
1/2
6
2
3
African Games
Year
Round
Position
2011
Quarter-finals
7th
7
2
5
2015
Did not qualify
Total
7
2
5
Team
Kenny Gasana playing for the Rwandan national team in 2017
Current roster
Roster for the AfroBasket 2021 .[6]
Rwanda men's national basketball team roster
Players
Coaches
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Yves Murenzi
Henry Mwinuka
Legend
Club – describes last club before the competition
Age – describes age on 24 August 2021
Depth chart
Head coach position
Većeslav Kavedžija – 2007–2011
Moise Mutokambali – 2012–2013,[7] 2014–2017
Cheikh Sarr – 2021–present
Past rosters
Team for the 2013 FIBA Africa Championship .
2013 FIBA Africa Championship
Rwanda men's national basketball team roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Age – Date of birth
Height
Club
4
Olivier Shyaka
18 – (1995-08-14 ) 14 August 1995
Espoir BC
SF
5
Patrice Twagirayezu
19 – (1994-07-05 ) 5 July 1994
2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)
Asheville Christian Academy
F/C
6
Thierry Suku Suku
24 – (1989-07-12 ) 12 July 1989
1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
G
7
Lionel Hakizimana
20 – (1992-12-13 ) 13 December 1992
1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Espoir BC
G
8
Aristide Mugabe
25 – (1988-02-11 ) 11 February 1988
1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Espoir BC
G
9
Aboubakar Barame
29 – (1984-04-26 ) 26 April 1984
1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Espoir BC
F
10
Hamza Ruhezamihigo
28 – (1985-03-27 ) 27 March 1985
1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Riviere des Prairies Jaguars
F
11
Cameroun Bradley
22 – (1991-02-27 ) 27 February 1991
1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Espoir BC
F
12
Kenneth Gasana
28 – (1984-11-09 ) 9 November 1984
1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)
Chabab Rif Al Hoceima
F
13
Daniel Rugamba
26 – (1987-03-16 ) 16 March 1987
1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
CSK Basket-Ball Club
C
14
Kami Kabangu
29 – (1984-07-02 ) 2 July 1984
2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)
Espoir BC
Head coach
Legend
Club – describes last club before the tournament
Age – describes age on 20 August 2013
At AfroBasket 2015 qualification :[8]
Kit
Manufacturer
2013 – Nike [9]
2017–present Erreà
See also
References
^ "FIBA Ranking Presented by Nike". FIBA . 1 March 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024 .
^ FIBA National Federations – Rwanda, fiba.com. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
^ [1], fiba.com. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
^ AfroBasket : La chute de l’Angola, le peps du Rwanda BasketEurope.com, 27 August 2021. Accessed 17 October 2021.(in French)
^ "Rwanda see off DR Congo for historic podium finish". FIBA.basketball . Retrieved 21 July 2023 .
^ "Team Roster Rwanda". fiba.basketball . Retrieved 12 September 2021 .
^ Head coaches, fiba.com. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
^ Rwanda|2015 Afrobasket, ARCHIVE.FIBA.COM. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
^ Byarangije kwemezwa ko umukinnyi Kami Kabangu Milambwe w’amavubi agiye gukina muri Maroc !, FERWABA, 19 October 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2016. (in Kinyarwanda)
External links
FIBA profile
Africabasket – Rwanda Men National Team
Archived records of Rwanda team participations
Videos
#AfroBasket – Day 2: Rwanda v Burkina Faso (highlights) Youtube.com video
Zone 1 (4) Zone 2 (8) Zone 3 (8) Zone 4 (8) Zone 5 (11) Zone 6 (10) Zone 7 (5)