Basketball team in Kigali, Rwanda
| Kepler Basketball Club | |
|---|---|
| League | Rwanda Basketball League |
| Founded | 2022 |
| History | Kepler BBC (2022–present) |
| Arena | Kepler Sports Court |
| Capacity | 500 |
| Location | Kigali, Rwanda |
| Team colors | Green and White |
| Main sponsor | Inyange |
| CEO | Nathalie Munyampenda |
| Head coach | Mandy Juruni |
| Ownership | Kepler |
Kepler Basketball Club is a Rwandan professional basketball team based in Kigali that is managed by the non-profit educational institution Kepler. Their men's team plays in the Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) since the 2024 season.
History
The over 1,000-student large non-profit education institution Kepler started its basketball program in 2023, mixing the team with both students and professional players. Nathalie Munyampenda was appointed as the club's CEO. In their debut season under Rene Sabahu in the men's Rwanda Basketball League Division 2, they were promoted following a second place finish in the 2023 season.
They acquired all-time legendary player Aristide Mugabe for their inaugural RBL season, and also signed the successful Ugandan coach Mandy Juruni, who came over from BAL club City Oilers. Kepler then went on to sign Guibert Nijimbere, a Burundi national team guard, for the upcoming season as well. Their first league win came on February 18, when they defeated the Kigali Titans at home. Kepler finished the 2024 season in fourth place, and played in the playoffs, in which they lost in the semifinals to Patriots.
Arena
The team plays at an outdoor court at the college but has started building a 1,500-seater indoor hall in 2024.
References
- ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (15 November 2023). "Inside Kepler's huge basketball ambitions". The New Times. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (6 October 2023). "A look at the two new teams in Rwanda Basketball League". The New Times. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (1 February 2024). "Mugabe bids farewell to Patriots". The New Times. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (4 December 2023). "Basketball: Experienced Mandy Juruni appointed Kepler head coach". The New Times. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (13 April 2024). "Basketball: Nijimbere joins Kepler". The New Times. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (18 February 2024). "Basketball: Kepler register first league win over crisis-hit Kigali Titans". The New Times. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- Sikubwabo, Damas (5 September 2024). "Betpawa playoffs: APR, Patriots set date for finals". The New Times. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
Season by season
| Playoffs berth |
| Season | Tier | League | Regular season | Post-season | Cup competitions | Head coach | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Played | Wins | Losses | Win % | ||||||||
| Kepler | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2 | RBL D2 | 1st (Group D) | 8 | 8 | 0 | 1.000 | Lost finals (Inspired Generation) | – | Rene Sabahu | ||
| 2024 | 1 | RBL | 4th | 18 | 10 | 8 | .556 | Lost semifinals (Patriots) 0–3 | Quarterfinalist (RC) | Mandy Juruni | ||
| Regular season record | 26 | 18 | 8 | .692 | 0 regular season champions | |||||||
| Playoffs record | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 | ||||||||
External links
| Rwanda Basketball League | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasons | |||||
| Clubs |
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| Arenas | |||||
| Associated competitions | |||||
