# 2023 RBL season

The 2023 RBL season was the second season of the Rwanda Basketball League under its current name, while the top-level competition has been organised by the FERWABA for a longer time. The season began on 12 January 2023 with the regular season. The playoffs began on 23 August and ended on 9 September 2023.
APR won a record-extending 14th national title, following a clean sweep of defending champions REG in the finals. With their victory, APR ended a 14-year title drought. APR guard Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza was named Playoffs MVP.
As champions, APR quaified directly for the 2024 BAL season.

## Team changes
### Team changes

Orion was promoted on 17 July 2022 after reaching the finals of the Rwanda Basketball League Division 2. Kigali Titans were also promoted as the D2 champions.
| Promoted from 2021-22 RBL D2 | Relegated from 2021-22 RBL |
| Kigali Titans Orion | UR Huye UR CMHS |

## Foreign players

The following non-African players played in the RBL in the 2023 season:
* Patriots BBC
** Ater Majok (Lebanon)
** Michael Dixon (United States)
* Kigali Titans
** Will Perry (United States)
** Álvaro Calvo Masa (Spain)
* APR
** Demarcus Holland (United States)

## Regular season

The regular season was decreased from thirteen to twelve teams. This season, four teams are relegated to the Division 2, and the 2024 season will begin with ten teams.

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | REG | 22 | 20 | 2 | 1980 | 1358 | +622 | 42 | Advance to playoffs |
| 2 | Patriots | 22 | 19 | 3 | 1868 | 1286 | +582 | 41 | Advance to playoffs |
| 3 | APR | 22 | 19 | 3 | 2054 | 1279 | +775 | 41 | Advance to playoffs |
| 4 | Espoir | 22 | 15 | 7 | 1838 | 1590 | +248 | 37 | Advance to playoffs |
| 5 | Kigali Titans | 22 | 12 | 10 | 1639 | 1599 | +40 | 34 | |
| 6 | Orion | 22 | 12 | 10 | 1614 | 1702 | −88 | 34 | |
| 7 | Tigers | 22 | 11 | 11 | 1537 | 1496 | +41 | 33 | |
| 8 | UGB | 22 | 10 | 12 | 1536 | 1580 | −44 | 32 | |
| 9 | RP-IPRC Huye (R) | 22 | 5 | 17 | 1424 | 1777 | −353 | 27 | Relegated to Division 2 |
| 10 | Shoot For The Stars (R) | 22 | 6 | 16 | 1325 | 1700 | −375 | 25 | Relegated to Division 2 |
| 11 | IPRC-Kigali (R) | 22 | 2 | 20 | 1381 | 1913 | −532 | 24 | Relegated to Division 2 |
| 12 | RP-IPRC Musanze (R) | 22 | 1 | 21 | 1129 | 2105 | −976 | 23 | Relegated to Division 2 |
* ↑ Shoot For The Stars were given three automatic 20–0 losses, and were given zero points for the games.

### Results

| Home \ Away | APR | ESP | IKR | KTT | ORN | PTT | REG | RPH | RPM | SFT | TIG | UGB |
| APR | — | 80–35 | 106–59 | 74–58 | 85–72 | 74–87 | 73–63 | 116–23 | 106–36 | 119–42 | 82–68 | 97–54 |
| Espoir | 76–118 | — | 90–66 | 68–63 | 81–71 | 71–74 | 70–76 | 110–76 | 114–54 | 103–78 | 69–63 | 73–56 |
| IPRC-Kigali | 48–99 | 67–109 | — | 57–83 | 68–97 | 50–69 | 68–104 | 44–56 | 79–59 | 68–79 | 79–90 | 45–81 |
| Kigali Titans | 46–119 | 74–87 | 91–87 | — | 73–55 | 50–123 | 65–99 | 88–70 | 111–43 | 80–67 | 74–82 | 79–88 |
| Orion | 48–121 | 88–85 | 92–69 | 75–73 | — | 48–79 | 78–103 | 79–63 | 97–41 | 71–70 | 75–83 | 72–67 |
| Patriots | 67–60 | 83–61 | 98–40 | 85–98 | 116–61 | — | 73–72 | 75–54 | 112–37 | 95–67 | 77–62 | 73–64 |
| REG | 75–77 | 82–64 | 97–53 | 82–59 | 103–51 | 83–69 | — | 95–67 | 113–44 | 101–50 | 78–61 | 84–75 |
| RP-IPRC Huye | 69–89 | 84–114 | 78–51 | 74–101 | 75–96 | 60–93 | 59–110 | — | 69–65 | 20–0 | 53–78 | 54–63 |
| RP-IPRC Musanze | 43–88 | 59–126 | 72–74 | 41–109 | 59–79 | 49–108 | 39–99 | 54–85 | — | 81–78 | 28–82 | 53–96 |
| Shoot For The Stars | 66–97 | 69–91 | 107–84 | 0–20 | 60–72 | 0–20 | 56–104 | 79–75 | 86–57 | — | 63–76 | 77–74 |
| Tigers | 75–72 | 48–74 | 75–53 | 66–78 | 62–74 | 71–113 | 48–64 | 70–62 | 103–52 | 64–71 | — | 50–51 |
| UGB | 69–102 | 61–67 | 81–72 | 57–66 | 66–63 | 53–80 | 60–92 | 107–98 | 91–63 | 68–60 | 54–60 | — |

## Playoffs

By losing the semi-finals to APR BBC, the Patriots did not reach the finals for the first time in 9 years. APR won finals in a clean sweep, defeating the defending champions REG BBC in four games. This was the league’s first-ever sweep since introducing the best-of-seven format.
In the third place series, the Patriots forfeited Game 1 after not showing up, which resulted in a victory for Espoir BBC.
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | REG | 3 | | | |
| 4 | Espoir | 0 | | | |
| 4 | Espoir | 0 | 1 | REG | 0 |
| | | | 3 | APR | 4 |
| 2 | Patriots | 0 | 3 | APR | 4 |
| 3 | APR | 3 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | 2 | Patriots | 0 |
| | | | 4 | Espoir | 1 |

### Semifinals
#### (1) REG vs. (4) Espoir

* August 23, 2023 7:00 PM
* Report
| REG | 85–79 | Espoir |
* BK Arena
* August 25, 2023 9:00 PM
* Report
| Espoir | 53–93 | REG |
* Lycée de Kigali
* August 27, 2023 5:00 PM
* Report
| REG | 96–60 | Espoir |
* BK Arena

#### (2) Patriots vs. (3) APR

* August 23, 2023 9:00 PM
* Report
| Patriots | 59–69 | APR |
* BK Arena
* August 25, 2023 9:00 PM
* Report
| APR | 70–63 | Patriots |
* BK Arena
* August 27, 2023 7:30 PM
* Report
| Patriots | 52–62 | APR |
* BK Arena

### Third place game

* September 3, 2023 2:30 PM
* Report
| Patriots | 0–20 | Espoir |
* BK Arena

### Finals

* September 1, 2023 9:00 PM
* Report
| REG | 62–68 | APR |
* BK Arena
* September 3, 2023 7:30 PM
* Report
| APR | 74–62 | REG |
* BK Arena
* September 6, 2023 9:00 PM
* Report
| REG | 75–80 | APR |
* BK Arena
* September 8, 2023 9:30 PM
* Report
| APR | 80–68 | REG |
* Petit Stade Remera

## Awards and statistics
### Season awards

The winners of the annual awards were announced after the last game of the finals, on 9 September.
* Season MVP: Olivier Turatsinze, Espoir
* Top Scorer: Olivier Turatsinze, Espoir
* Playoffs Most Valuable Player: Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, APR
* Coach of the Year: Maz Trakh, APR
* Top Scorer: Olivier Turatsinze, Espoir
* Best 3pt Shooter: Nshimiyimana Yoronimu, IPRC Kigali
* Best Defender: Frank Kamndoh, United Generations Basketball

### Individual statistical leaders

After the regular season.
| Category | Player | Team(s) | Statistic |
| Points | Olivier Turatzinse | Espoir | 471 |
| Rebounds | Kamndoh Betoudji Frank | United Generations for Basketball | 269 |
| AssiSFT | Jean de Dieu Niyungeho | Espoir | 125 |
| Steals | Olivier Turatzinse | Espoir | 69 |
| Blocks | Kamndoh Betoudji Frank | United Generations for Basketball | 59 |