Urunani BBC is a Burundian
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
club based in
Bujumbura
Bujumbura (; ), formerly Usumbura, is the economic capital, largest city and main port of Burundi. It ships most of the country's chief export, coffee, as well as cotton and tin ore. Bujumbura was formerly the country's political capital. In la ...
. Nicknamed ''"Sisi Wenyewe"'', the team plays in the
Viva Basketball League
The Burundian Basketball Championship (in French: Championnat National du Burundi), for sponsorship reason the Viva Basketball League, is a semi-professional basketball league that is the highest level of the sport in Burundi. The league is organi ...
(VBL).
Since 1979, Urunani has won more than 17 national championships of Burundi (some years the national championship was not held for several reasons).
History
The name Urunani means "being together, a strong and indestructible network".
The club played in the Basketball Championship Amateurs de Bujumbura (ACBAB) for the first time in 1979.
Urunani BBC has already won three international competitions organized by the FIBA Zone 5.
The club also played in the
FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup
The FIBA Africa Basketball League (formerly named the FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup) was the highest caliber men's professional basketball competition for clubs until 2020, organized by the FIBA Africa and played by the champions of the league ...
in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
At mid-2021, Urunani reached an agreement with the ugandan club, City Oilers to bring back home Landry Ndikumana, and the rwandan club Tigers for Malick Ngenzahayo.
It’s at the end of 2021 that Urunani have completed the signing of Guibert Nijimbere from Patriots.
Ahead of the VBL 2022, the team acquired 5 international players from Uganda (Peter Obleng), South-Sudan (Peter Cheng Maleck), DRC (Michael Bwanga), Kenya (Paul Ereng Ekiru) and Nigeria (Njoku Joseph Chibuzo). With its strengthened roster, Urunani(17 wins/1 loss) managed to become the Burundian Champions and claimed a spot in the 2023 BAL Qualifiers.
The team became the first-ever team from Burundi to win a semi-professional league : the Viva Basketball League in his first edition.
One of the notable players of Urunani, Elvis "Gafyisi" Hakizimana, wore number 8 during 20 seasons. On 24 January 2022, Gafyisi's jersey number was retired at the Terrain Département. On 26 January, Urunani signed Hakizimana as their new assistant coach.
In 2024, they won another national championship after defeating Dynamo in seven games in the finals, behind MVP
Jean Jacques Boissy
Jean Jacques Boissy (born 28 January 2000) is a Senegalese basketball player who plays for REG and the Senegal national team. Playing at point guard, he is a graduate of the NBA Academy Africa and has played professionally since 2021. Boissy ...
.
Urunani hired
Pabi Guèye
Mamadou "Pabi" Guèye (born 29 September 1978) is a Senegalese professional basketball coach and former player who is the current head coach of Urunani BBC, Urunani and as an assistant for Senegal men's national basketball team, Senegal men's n ...
, a former
BAL Coach of the Year, to lead the team in the Road to BAL.
Honours
Burundian Basketball Championship
The Burundian Basketball Championship (in French: Championnat National du Burundi), for sponsorship reason the Viva Basketball League, is a semi-professional basketball league that is the highest level of the sport in Burundi. The league is organi ...
* Champions (17+): 2010,
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015,
2016, 2022, 2024
* Winners (1+): 2015
* Winners (3): 2019, 2021, 2022
Burundian Super Cup
* Winners (1): 2020
ACBAB
* Champions (3+): 2015,
2016,
2017
FIBA Africa Zone 5 Champions
*Winners (3): 2011, 2013, 2014
In African competitions
FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup
The FIBA Africa Basketball League (formerly named the FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup) was the highest caliber men's professional basketball competition for clubs until 2020, organized by the FIBA Africa and played by the champions of the league ...
*
2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
– Regular Season
*
2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
– Regular Season
*
2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
– Regular Season
Players
2022 roster
Notable players
Head coaches
*
Aaron Kagabo
*
Pabi Guèye
Mamadou "Pabi" Guèye (born 29 September 1978) is a Senegalese professional basketball coach and former player who is the current head coach of Urunani BBC, Urunani and as an assistant for Senegal men's national basketball team, Senegal men's n ...
: (October 2024–present)
References
External links
Official website
Basketball teams in Burundi
Basketball teams established in 1979
1979 establishments in Burundi
Road to BAL teams
{{Africa-basketball-team-stub