Rwanda’s RSSB Tigers BBC opened their FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2026 campaign with a 107-89 defeat to Lithuania’s Rytas Vilnius on Tuesday in Beijing.
The game was played at the 20,000-capacity Beijing National Indoor Stadium in the morning of Sept. 22, with Rwanda’s Ambassador to China, Lt Gen (Rtd) Karenzi Karake, and RSSB Director General Regis Rugemanshuro among those in attendance.
RSSB Tigers became the first Rwandan club to compete in the tournament after winning the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL), which was held in Kigali in June.
The Rwandan champions stayed within reach early in the game, with Gytis Radzevicius and Teafale Lenard Jr. featuring prominently for Rytas. The Lithuanian side led 22-19 after the opening quarter.
RSSB Tigers briefly moved ahead in the second quarter as Nisre Zouzoua helped cut the deficit, but Rytas regained control late in the half. Gytis Masiulis and Ricky Lindo Jr. helped the European side take a 47-39 lead into halftime.
Rytas extended its advantage in the third quarter, opening a 19-point gap at 63-44 before finishing the period 79-59 ahead.
RSSB Tigers struggled with turnovers during the quarter, while Craig Randall II, known for his three-point shooting, had difficulty finding his range.
The Rwandan side improved in the final quarter, with Randall and Rytas’ Kay Bruhnke among the scorers, but the Lithuanian team still edged the period 30-28 to seal the victory.
Bruhnke led all scorers with 22 points, while Randall finished with 20 for RSSB Tigers.
RSSB Tigers will return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 23, against China’s Shanghai Sharks.
