APR BBC and REG BBC revived their hopes of reaching the Basketball League final after bouncing back from opening-game defeats to win their respective Game 2 playoff clashes on Friday.
APR BBC edged RSSB Tigers 82-79, while REG BBC defeated Patriots BBC 74-71, leaving both best-of-three semifinal series tied at 1-1 ahead of Sunday’s decisive Game 3 at BK Arena.
APR hold off RSSB Tigers
APR BBC responded to their Game 1 defeat to RSSB Tigers with a hard-fought three-point victory that kept their title hopes alive.
APR made a strong start, winning the opening quarter 22-21 before taking the second 23-18 to establish a 45-39 halftime lead.
RSSB Tigers came back strongly after the break and, inspired by Jackson Jr, won the third quarter 19-17 to cut APR’s advantage.
The final quarter produced a tense battle, with both teams pushing for control. RSSB Tigers again had the edge, winning the period 21-20, but APR’s first-half cushion proved decisive as they held on for an 82-79 victory.
APR’s Leonard Craig Randall was the standout performer, finishing with 31 points, two rebounds and four assists.
RSSB Tigers’ Zouzoua Nisre Mimi led his side with 22 points.
The result levelled the series at 1-1 after RSSB Tigers had won the opening game.
REG BBC bounce back against Patriots
REG BBC also recovered from a Game 1 loss, defeating Patriots BBC 74-71 to draw their semifinal series level.
Patriots had won the first game 84-75 but struggled to maintain their advantage in the second encounter.
The teams were closely matched early on, with Patriots narrowly winning the first quarter 22-21.
REG responded in the second quarter, outscoring Patriots 18-13 to take a 39-35 lead into halftime.
Patriots fought back in the third quarter, winning it 15-10 to move one point ahead heading into the final period.
REG responded when it mattered most, taking the fourth quarter 25-21 to secure the 74-71 victory.
Patriots’ Damaria Franklin top-scored with 28 points, but his effort was not enough to prevent the defeat.
REG’s Elliot Lamar Cole posted 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals in an all-round performance.
Game 3 set as semifinal series continue
With both semifinal series tied at 1-1, APR BBC and RSSB Tigers, as well as REG BBC and Patriots BBC, will return to BK Arena on Sunday, August 9, for Game 3.
The teams are competing in best-of-five semifinal series, with each side needing to win three games to advance to the Basketball League final. A maximum of five games will be played if necessary.
The eventual Basketball League champions will earn the right to represent Rwanda in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) next season.
