Kenya International Oluoch appointed Patriots head coach

Former Kenya Morans guard Ben Oluoch has been appointed head coach for four-time Rwandese Basketball League champions Patriot with his first assignment at the helm being preparing the team for next month’s Basketball Africa League(BAL).

Oluoch was promoted from his assistant coaching role, replacing American Murray Dean, who powered Patriots to the 2020 Rwandan League title last October. He becomes Patriots' third head coach since the start of the BAL Qualifiers back in October 2019.

Murray had taken over from another Kenya Carey ‘T9’ Odhiambo was at the helm of the Rwandese side, assisted by Lizz Mills in their campaign for a BAL slot which they clinched in an unbeaten nine-match run.

The former Co-Operative Bank Spartans guard has coached Kenya’s Storms, Nairobi Aviation, Uganda’s Falcons among others.

The club also made three additions to the playing unit, bringing on board Jean Jacques Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza who last played for local rivals Rwanda Energy Group in the 2019 edition of the FIBA AfroLeague Qualifiers, Elie Kaje and renewed Kenneth Gasana contract.

Last year, the Rwandan champions signed Kenyan international Tom 'Bush' Wamukota, who has rightly become of the players to watch out in the Kigali showdown.

The BAL will take place in Kigali from May 16-30 with twelve clubs from twelve African countries vying for the crown of the newly-launched competition, a partnership between FIBA and the NBA.

“We are thrilled that the inaugural BAL season will take place at the world-class Kigali Arena. Through the BAL, we will provide a platform for elite players from across the continent to showcase their talent and inspire fans of all ages, use basketball as an economic growth engine across Africa, and shine a light on Africa’s vibrant sporting culture,” said BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall.

The league also announced an adjusted competition format for the inaugural season, which will feature a total of 26 games at the Kigali Arena. The competition will tip off with an 18-game group phase with the 12 teams divided into three groups of four. During the group phase, each team will face the three other teams in its group once. The top eight teams from the group phase will qualify for the playoffs, which will be single elimination in all three rounds.