Wamukota features in BAL Elevate Showcase game in Kigali

Kenyan power forward Bush Wamukota was among the players that represented the Rwanda Basketball Federation (Ferwaba) in Friday’s Basketball Africa League Elevate Showcase game against NBA-affiliated side NBA Academy at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.

Wamukota, now linked with Rwandese league side APR BBC, played slightly over 28 minutes, scoring a double double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, all in a 57-67 losing effort on the night.

The game was part of the BAL Elevate program, that will in the future involve one NBA Academy Africa prospect join each of the 12 BAL teams for the league’s season.

Leading the way for the side that will now see 12 teens from six different countries joining the ranks of professional athletes, was the duo of Ulrich Chomche and Rueben Abuchi Chinyelu, who stacked up 27 and 26 points respectively.

Exciting Senegalese guard Mamadou Thiam Fall added up 10 points to wrap up the win for the Academy side.

Wamukota had two days earlier been involved in another exhibition game, one that saw APR BBC register a 75-71 victory over NBA Africa’s team in Game 4 of their Rwanda Tour at the LDK Arena.

The last two weeks have seen a bee-hive of activities in the Rwandan capital thanks to the country hosting the finals of the third Basketball Africa League season - with the big final expected on Saturday night at the BK Arena.

BAL has also provided opportunity for another Kenyan - Tyler Ongwae - to spread his wings around the continent having featured for former Kenya Morans’ head coach Liz Mills and Ivorian club ABC Fighters in their only game in this year’s set of elimination games.

The former Parma BC man averaged 31:47 minutes on the floor, posting seven points, five rebounds and four assists, while shooting 3 for 10 from the field in a close 88-84 loss to Angolan club Petro de Luanda.

Ongwae makes BAL debut with ABC Fighters in close loss to Petro

In Friday night’s third place playoffs, Malian club Stade Malien outstaged Petro to 73-65 at the BK Arena to clinch bronze, with Al Ahly (Egypt) facing AS Douanes (Senegal) in Saturday’s closer.

Wamukota and Ongwae remain the only KLenyans to have made headways into the Basketball Africa League, with no Kenyan team having made the playoffs.