Burundi's Les Hippos were crowned the 2025 East African Basketball Championship Cup winners in Nairobi, outclassing the Kenyan-based Ulinzi Warriors 88-61. The second consecutive EABCC championship win is yet another example of Burundi's men's club basketball becoming a dominant force in FIBA Africa Zone 5.
Last Updated on
October 15, 2025
Burundi's Les Hippos were crowned champions on Friday, 10 October, as curtains closed on the second annual East African Basketball Championship Cup (EABCC) at the Nyayo Gymnasium in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Patrick Nkurunziza-coached club defeated the home side Ulinzi Warriors 88-61 to become the second Burundian side to lift the Cup title, after the inaugural edition winners Remesha.
The annual competition, open to teams in FIBA Africa Zone 5, was established to provide international exposure for teams that did not qualify for the Road to BAL qualifiers as national champions.
Burundi's title charge started with a 89-79 loss to the home side Umoja Basketball in Group A, but they bounced back in the next assignment, convincingly beating Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) 98-83 to head to the semis as the top-placed team in the group.
Ulinzi Warriors, meanwhile, picked up back-to-back victories against Tanzania's Stein Warriors (73-57) and Gambela City (82-58) to top Group B. Umoja Basketball and KPA went through the quarters to reach the Last Four, booking Ulinzi and Les Hippos, respectively.
Nkurunziza's men left nothing to chance against KPA in the semis, a quick start of 26-16 proving crucial as they eventually won 75-64. On their part, Ulinzi, up against a star-studded Umoja Basketball side, held their own, running a tight ship on defence while being precise on offence. Simeon Rapudo came to life in the Kenyan derby, dropping a massive 26 points to combine with John Washika (12) and Brans Nzioka (12) for 50 of the side's tally in the victory.
"A final is always tough, and this was no different, even though the score doesn't indicate that. The tournament started with a loss, made adjustments, especially in handling pressure, and went on to win. It means a lot. It has taken teamwork to get here, and we are glad to put Burundi basketball on the map once more."
Romis Bujeje, the eventual Most Valuable Player (MVP), told FIBA.basketball after the victory.
In the final, the Warriors endured a difficult start defensively, allowing the Burundians to go on a 17-3 run that left them playing catch-up the entire match, and there was no recovery against a side that dominated on all fronts.
"Burundi were the better side," Warriors skipper, Washika, said. "They had the size and wingspan, and their outside game was good. They had the extra pass, were patient on the ball and had tall point guards who are dangerous from outside.
Their rebounding was also good, and we really struggled to settle in during the first quarter. An 18-point deficit early left us playing catch-up the entire match, and that was our main undoing."
Meanwhile, the all-Kenyan affair in the third-place playoff lived up to expectations, with Umoja emerging the better side in a 90-86 victory, effectively relegating last year's bronze medalist KPA to fourth.
Umoja recovered from their disappointment in the semis, where they lost to Ulinzi Warriors, to beat their league rivals in a hard-fought clash that featured 11 lead changes and 10 ties.
The encounter came down to the final moments with the Mombasa-based Dockers missing crucial baskets to lose by four. KPA had dominated the paint 36-26, while also out-rebounding Isaac Munywoki's men 53-43 (20-9 on offence) to score 16 against 7 in second-chance points, but it was not enough to hand them victory.
Victor Bosire led the scoring charts for Umoja, dropping 29 points, eight more than Ariel Okall, after shooting 8-of-10 from behind the arc, adding six assists. Faheem Juma added 15 points to the win, while Dismass Mbaka posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
"It was a good but disappointing tournament for us as we came here targeting the title, especially with the personnel we had. We had a bad game in the semis, missed everything, especially on free throws. Bronze is not what we wanted, but we had to challenge ourselves to be on the podium. It is difficult to play the third-place match, but I'm glad we won it," Bosire said.
KPA's charge was led by Tom Wamukota, who dropped a double-double on 27 points and 13 rebounds
.
Elsewhere, Ethiopia's Gambela City lost the fifth-place match 82-48 to Tanzania's Stein Warriors.
PG: Robin Clark Dushime (Les Hippos)
SG: Brans Nzioka (Ulinzi Warriors)
SF: Faheem Juma (Umoja)
PF: Romis Bujeje (Les Hippos)
C: Cisco George (Stein Warriors)
Romis Bujeje (Les Hippos)
Romis Bujeje (Les Hippos)
Faheem Juma (Umoja)
Salim Kisilu (KPA)
[Photography Courtesy of the EABCC]
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