Dynamo Basketball Club, also known simply as Dynamo, is a basketball club based in Bujumbura, Burundi. Established in 1968,[1] the team competes in both the Viva Basketball League and the Bujumbura Amateurs Basketball Club Association (ACBAB).
Dynamo | |||
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Leagues | BAL Viva Basketball League ACBAB | ||
Founded | 1968 | ||
History | Dynamo BBC (1968–present) | ||
Location | Bujumbura, Burundi | ||
Team colors | Green, silver, white | ||
Main sponsor | Bekra Pharma, Ltd. | ||
Head coach | Olivier Ndayiragije | ||
Championships | 3 (2016, 2018, 2023) | ||
Cup titles | 4 (2017, 2018, 2020, 2023) | ||
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In the 2024 season, Dynamo played in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) as the first team from Burundi to play in the league. After winning their opening game, the team was forced to withdraw after it refused to wear a logo advertising Rwanda, over political reasons.
History
Dynamo Basketball Club was founded in 1968.
On September 25, 2016, Dynamo won its first-ever Burundian National Championship.[2]
In the 2017–18 season, Dynamo had a historically successful season, winning the ACBAB title, Heroes Cup, and President's Cup.[3] Their Bujumbura title was their first since 20 years earlier, in 1998.[4]
The team captured another ACBAB championship in 2019. Dynamo also qualified for the 2020 BAL Qualifying Tournaments.[5]
2024 BAL season
Dynamo won their fourth national championship in 2023.[6] They then played in the 2024 BAL qualification tournament, and on 26 November 2023 they clinched their participation in the 2024 season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).[7] Dynamo defeated the Malagasy team COSPN 79–78 in the third place game, became the first team from Burundi to play in the league, and the first Elite 16 wild card to advance to the main tournament.[7]
In the opening day game between Dynamo and South Africa's Cape Town Tigers, the Burundian side taped off the logo of league sponsor Visit Rwanda. Political tensions between the two border nations Burundi and Rwanda had been rising, as Burundi has accused Rwanda of supporting the RED-Tabara rebel militia in the country.[8][9] Dynamo forfeited their second game against FUS Rabat on 10 March, with the BAL citing "refusing to comply with the league’s rules governing jersey and uniform requirements" as the reason why.[10] Following Dynamo's second forfeit on 12 March, the team was automatically withdrawn from the group as per FIBA rules.[11] Dynamo players Bryton Hobbs and Makhtar Gueye stated that the Burundian government had prohibited the team to wear the logo and ordered the club to forfeit its games if necessary.[8][12]
Honours
Burundian National Championship
- Champions (3): 2016,[13] 2019,[citation needed] 2023[6]
Heroes Cup
ACBAB
- Champions (3): 1998, 2018, 2019
In African competitions
Road to BAL (2 appearances)
Players
2024 BAL season roster
The following was Dynamo's roster in the 2024 BAL season in March 2024.
Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.
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Updated: 15 March 2024 |