Urunani BBC is a Burundian basketball 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 normal capital. In late ...

. 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 15 titles of national champions 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 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 Hakizimana aka Gafyisi, wore No 8 during 20 seasons. On January 24, 2022, Gafyisi retired, and Urunani retired number 8 during an emotional pregame ceremony at «Terrain Département». On 26 January , Urunani signed Elvis Hakizimana as their new assistant-coach.

Honours

Burundian Basketball Championship * Burundi Champions (15): ?, ?, ?, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2022 Heroes Cup * Winners (?): 2019, 2021, 2022 Burundian Super Cup * Winners (?): 2020 ACBAB * Champions (?): 2017 FIBA Africa Zone 5 Champions *Winners (3): 2011, 2013, 2014

In African competitions

FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup *

2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...

– Regular Season *

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

– Regular Season *

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

- Regular Season

Players

2022 roster

Notable players

References

External links

Official website
Basketball teams in Burundi Basketball teams established in 1979 1979 establishments in Burundi Road to BAL teams {{Basketball-team-stub