30 October 2007

RWANDA : Champions out

BY JULIUS MBARAGA

Weekend league results

Men

CSK A 61-65 APR

CSK B 40-55 UGB

ISAE 66-68 KIE

ESPOIR 20-0 UNR

Women

APR 75-17 Fawe

KIST 70-88 UNR

UNR 20-0 Fawe

Cliff Owuor and APR basketball club received their biggest shock in Rwandan basketball history after being piped to a spot in this season’s race for the play-offs’ berth by debutants CSK A.
In spite of Sunday’s 65-61 victory over the league debutants, the national league reigning champions were left licking their boots after learning that their four-point difference was not enough to sail them through to the play-offs.
APR’s victory left both clubs level on 18 points bringing head to head statistics into play.
In the first round, CSK A registered a nine-point difference win over the champions after a 73-67 final score.

But according to the national basketball federation rules, for APR to qualify, they had to win Sunday’s tie by at least a difference of nine points or more.
“When two teams are level on points (like in the case of APR and CSK A), we apply their head to head record in the league and in this case, statistics favoured CSK A.
“For APR to qualify, they had to win Sunday’s tie with at least a difference of nine points,” the federation’s technical director Innocent Karuhije said. Like CSK A, Rusizi another debutants qualified for the play-offs after finishing second in pool B.
The two clubs join Marine and Espoir who finished top in their respective pools.
It is the first time since the play-off format was introduced three years ago that APR have not qualified, having been champions in the last two seasons.

In the ladies category, APR and Rwanda National University (UNR) were in fine form as they maintained their command at the top of the pool.

The pair would be joined by ISAE and KIST in the play-offs, which start November 10.

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