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Local basketball powerhouse Espoir Basketball Club has claimed the title of best in the region, thumping next-door rival Urunani BBC of Burundi by a 51-point difference in the men’s final at the just concluded Zone 5 Club Championships held in Uganda.

The final score of 90-39 would understandably illicit doubts from the reader of whether it’s a typing error, but indeed the score stood firm at the end of hostilities, meaning a first regional title for the storied franchise, and the double satisfaction of smooth revenge exacted as Urunani had earlier defeated Espoir in pool play, 68-66.

The only Rwandan representative in the tourney, Espoir stated its intentions early with an opening-day win over tourney favorites Kyambogo Warrior of Uganda, 72-56, leading throughout. Next up was Tanzania’s Savio, which also succumbed to a 90-51 beat-down, before Espoir lost its only game of the tournament, the aforementioned loss to Urunani by just 2 points.

Instead of demoralizing Espoir, which is a French word meaning ‘hope,’ the loss served to galvanize the Rwandan flag-bearers. Having secured qualification for the knock-out round despite the Urunani loss, Espoir stampeded its way to the title in dominant fashion, knocking out reigning league champions of Uganda, Power 67-54 in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score suggests, to set up a final clash with their bitter rivals from neighboring Burundi.

The final was anything but a contest however, as Espoir totally ran Urunani off the court, leading by 20 points by the half-time break, and extending that lead into official blow-out territory by the game’s final whistle.

Jubilation ensued as Espoir celebrated their coup, marking the first time a Rwandan side has taken the title since army-side APR triumphed in 2008, successfully defending the title they won in 2007 and 2002.

As icing on the cake, Espoir’s outstanding player Aristide Mugabe was named tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP), having pumped in 26 points in the final to help his side to victory, besides an equally impressive performance from longtime Espoir player Jean Louis Habineza’s 24 points.

In the Women’s Final, Eagle Wings emerged winners in an all-Kenyan affair, beating compatriots Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) 77-54.
 

THE Los Angeles Lakers have bolstered their championship credentials by landing six-time All-Star Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic as part of a blockbuster 12-player trade including the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers.

 

The deal thrusts the Lakers back into the mix of contenders for an NBA title as Howard, the face of the Magic franchise and a three-time defensive player of the year, joins Kobe Bryant, Spain’s Pau Gasol and Steve Nash in Los Angeles.

 

Howard’s move to Los Angeles concludes a drawn-out process during which the Magic’s top scorer and rebounder for each of the last six seasons went back and forth over his decision on whether to stay with the team.

 

The 26-year-old center, taken first overall by Orlando in the 2004 NBA Draft, had requested a trade before the 2011-12 season but then said in March he would stick with the Magic rather than test free agency.

 

But last month, he reiterated his desire to be traded and said if a move was not made, he would leave the team when his current contract expires at the end of next season.

 

The attention on his playing future was the most directed at any prospective free agent since three-time NBA most valuable player LeBron James went on national television to announce his much-publicised move to Miami in 2010.

 

Orlando gets guard Arron Affalo and forward Al Harrington from the Nuggets, forward Maurice Harkless and center Nikola Vucevic from the 76ers and forward Josh McRoberts and guard Christian Eyenga from the Lakers.

 

The Magic, who sent guard Jason Richardson to the 76ers, will also receive five draft picks, including three first-rounders, over the next five years.

 

The departure of Howard comes nearly three months after the Magic fired head coach Stan Van Gundy and mutually parted ways with General Manager Otis Smith.

 

Van Gundy had also clashed with Howard last season, at one point saying that his top player had wanted him fired.

 

It is the second offseason splash made by a Lakers team that has suffered two straight early playoff exits since capturing a 16th NBA title in 2010. The team added two-time NBA MVP Nash last month in a deal with the Phoenix Suns.

 

Philadelphia get twice NBA champion center Andrew Bynum from the Lakers and Denver land forward Andre Iguodala from the 76ers, who posted a “Thank You, Andre” message on their website with a photo of their former player soaring to the rim.

 

Iguodala, who has averaged 15.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game during an eight-year career spent entirely with the 76ers, will be counted on to help a Nuggets team that fell in the second round on the 2012 NBA playoffs.

 

 

 

 

Anthony Davis is living the dream, slamming down dunks at the London Olympics with the latest incarnation of the U.S. Dream Team as a 19-year-old player yet to play a National Basketball Association (NBA) game.

Davis was a late addition in place of injured forward Blake Griffin of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, and the U.S. college player of the year from national champions Kentucky has stepped up and won rave reviews from his illustrious team mates.

“He’s great. He’s going to be a great pro,” said LeBron James, the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals in June where he lead the Miami Heat to victory.

“He’s going to be a special player. You can definitely see that,’ added three-time NBA All-Star guard Deron Williams.

“He’s going to be a phenomenal player. He’s one of those guys who’s going to change a franchise for decades,” said three-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant.

Davis treated fans at the Olympic Basketball Arena to a sneak preview of his future on Tuesday as the 6-foot-10 (2.08m) number one pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets got his first extended court time in a 110-53 rout of Tunisia.

He managed 12 points, going 5-for-5 from the field on five thunderous slams off alley-oop passes, one blocked shot and three rebounds in 14 minutes of playing time.

“I didn’t know it was going to be this much fun,” Davis told Reuters before practice for the Tunisia game. “They’re treating me good, make me feel like I’m part of the team, make me feel like I’m a (veteran), unless they get too lazy and don’t want to do nothing and I become a rookie again.”

 

Upcoming Rwandan teenager basketball player Jonathan Rutare passed away in the United States of America on Monday night.

 

Rutare who plays for Tampa Bay Christian School in Florida died mysteriously and the cause of his death has been linked to a heart attack though no autopsy report had confirmed it by press time.

 

The 17-year old, who was part of the U-18 team that represented Rwanda in the zone V U-18 qualifiers in 2010 where the national team finished 6th, had been in the U.S for only six months.

 

He was set to join his teammates preparing for this year’s Zone V Qualifiers slated for July 17-26, according to Moise Mutokambari, the national team assistant coach.

 

Mutokambari said that the death of Rutare has shocked everyone.

 

“It is so sad that we have lost a promising player, who was the future of basketball in this country. We had expected to use his experience in bolstering our squad but it is unfortunate that he died so suddenly, he will be dearly missed” said Mutokambari.

 

The junior hoops failed to train on Monday after learning the sudden death of their team mate and on Tuesday, the whole team observed a minute of silence to remember their fallen colleague.

 

It is the second time in two months that the country has lost two of its sports players suddenly. Last month Amavubi defender Patrick Mafisango died in a horrific car crash in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.