Dynamo

ANOTHER epic chapter between two of Burundi’s oldest clubs opens on Saturday when Urunani and Dynamo duel in a seven-game series to decide which of the two celebrated clubs from the capital, Bujumbura, will be crowned VBL champions and take the bragging rights that come with winning.

Urunani, the East African nation’s most titled club, and current defending champions, are looking to maintain the status quo. Dynamo, the older of the two clubs and a losing finalist last year, will hope it has the battery charge required to usurp the title they won two seasons ago.

Adding spice to this storied battle is Bryan Kavakure, a point guard who celebrated many a victory in the blue vest of Urunani but has since swapped it for the green of Dynamo.

Kavakure played for Urunani for four years, but last season he felt his time at the club had come to an end and he needed a change in scenery. The 31-year-old says he had to ponder the decision for a long time about whether to continue with Urunani or join three-time VBL winners Dynamo.

He had already gotten a taste of things at Dynamo, having joined them for a short stint during the Road to BAL in 2023, where they became the first club from Burundi to qualify for the BAL. Kavakure says that reuniting with his former Urunani teammates, Guibert Nijimbere and Richard Ndikuriyo, during the Road to BAL and knowing they were still part of the Dynamo set up assured him that leaving was the correct move.

“I found that Dynamo was a well-organised team. Everything went well. Having spent time with Dynamo and having friends like Guibert and Richard made it easy to move on,” said Kavakure.

He also reflected on leaving Urunani. “Spending four years with one team and then joining their rivals was not an easy decision. Seeing how things went last season, I had to make a decision,” said Kavakure. “I spent two weeks deciding whether to stay or go. It was a tough one.”

Journeying to a third successive final, Dynamo finished top of the VBL table in the regular season and coasted to a 3-0 semi-final series win over Les Hippos. Ahead of Game 1 on Saturday, Kavakure naturally has a ton of emotions facing Urunani, a team with which he enjoyed success and developed friendships.

“I have mixed feelings. It will not be easy to play against them. It’s not easy playing against players who know your strengths and weaknesses. It will be a challenge, but the goal is the same,” said Kavakure. “I have moved from one good team to another one, and the goal is to win the trophy with them. The challenge will be trying to beat my friends.”

 

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To reclaim the title and make a second Road to BAL appearance, Dynamo has enlisted the service of Cameroon point guard Etienne Tametong, who has been with the club from the beginning of the season.

Going into the playoffs, Nigerian big man Chingka Garba and American Tyrone Jeffrey were also signed by Dynamo to strengthen the team for the playoffs and finals.

“They have helped us a lot. A player like Etienne has played for so many years and in many countries. Since his arrival, he has made a huge impact. The same goes for Chingka. He is a big man who dominates in the paint,” said Kavakure. “Jeff from the US has led us in the playoffs, and we have a good coach (Julian Chaingot). We have local players who can step up, so the team is good.”

Having played in this final battle on many occasions, what makes this match special? Kavakure says it’s the fans that make Urunani vs Dynamo a great derby in basketball.

“Our fans and the trash talk amongst themselves makes the rivalry between Dynamo and Urunani what it is. If you have a chance, you should come and experience it. Even the club members have a rivalry among themselves. All those things make it extra special,” said Kavakure.