Rwanda Tigers held off Reg BBC 72-68 in a tense Rwanda Cup clash, closing the game with an 8-2 run to secure their place in the next round.

Reg BBC led for long stretches and held a 66-64 advantage with under three minutes remaining, but Rwanda Tigers found the answers when it mattered. A pair of defensive stops, a clutch three from Eric Nshimiyimana, and four late free throws turned the game in the Tigers’ favor. The win was far from comfortable, but cup basketball rarely is, and the Tigers’ composure down the stretch made the difference.

Match overview

The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Reg BBC using quick ball movement to build a 38-34 halftime lead. Rwanda Tigers stayed close behind Nshimiyimana’s scoring and Patrick Habimana’s playmaking, then took a brief lead in the third quarter before Reg answered. The final period was a slog: neither team scored for nearly two minutes, and every possession felt magnified. Reg’s Kevin Rugamba tied the game at 64 with a tough baseline jumper, setting up the Tigers’ late heroics.

• Quarter scores: Reg BBC 18-16-17-17 — 68; Rwanda Tigers 20-18-16-18 — 72
• Field-goal shooting: Reg BBC 43%, Rwanda Tigers 45%
• Three-point shooting: Reg BBC 7-of-21, Rwanda Tigers 8-of-22
• Rebounds: Reg BBC 35, Rwanda Tigers 37

Key moments

Trailing 66-64 with 2:40 left, Rwanda Tigers forced a turnover and converted it into a transition layup to tie the game. On the next possession, Nshimiyimana hit a contested three from the top of the key to put the Tigers ahead 69-66. Reg BBC missed a corner three on the other end, and Habimana made two free throws to stretch the lead to five. Reg’s final basket came too late, and the Tigers ran out the clock.

Tactical story

Rwanda Tigers won the game at the defensive end. They switched aggressively on screens in the fourth quarter, forcing Reg BBC into contested jumpers and limiting second-chance opportunities. Offensively, the Tigers leaned on Nshimiyimana’s isolation scoring and Habimana’s ability to manipulate pick-and-roll coverage. Reg BBC’s half-court offense was efficient in the first half but became stagnant late, with too many possessions ending in late-clock threes.

Standout players

Eric Nshimiyimana led Rwanda Tigers with 21 points and eight rebounds, including the go-ahead three in the final minutes. Patrick Habimana added 15 points and seven assists, while center Jean-Paul Mugisha contributed 12 points and nine rebounds. For Reg BBC, Kevin Rugamba scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Olivier Ndayisaba added 14 points. Reg’s bench gave them a first-half lift but could not match the Tigers’ late-game execution.

Season impact

The win sends Rwanda Tigers into the next round of the Rwanda Cup and gives them confidence ahead of a demanding stretch of fixtures. Reg BBC exit with a strong performance but will rue missed opportunities in the final three minutes. In knockout basketball, those margins are often the difference between advancing and going home.