REG W BBC opened their Cheetah Energy Rwanda Basketball League playoff final campaign with a 69-63 victory over The Hoops Rwanda at BK Arena on Thursday, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series.
The defending champions dominated the first half and built an 18-point advantage before surviving a determined second-half comeback from The Hoops.
REG won the opening quarter 17-13 and then pulled further away in the second, taking it 24-10 to head into halftime with a commanding 41-23 lead.
The Hoops, coached by Patrick Habiyambere, responded after the break, winning the third quarter 20-15 and the fourth 20-13. However, their late rally was not enough to overturn the damage done in the opening half.
REG head coach Esperance Mukaneza’s side held on for a six-point victory to take the first game of the final.
Washington Delicia Ty’Rae led REG with 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists, producing another influential performance for the reigning champions.
Three-point shooting also played a key role in the result. REG converted eight shots from beyond the arc, compared with just two by The Hoops.
The victory gives REG the early advantage in a series in which the first team to win four games will be crowned Rwanda’s women’s basketball champions.
Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, at 7 p.m. at BK Arena.
REG are seeking a third consecutive league title after winning the previous two championships.
The Hoops, meanwhile, are chasing their first league crown since 2020 and will look to level the series in Game 2.
