BC Espoir Fukash is a Congolese basketball team based in Kinshasa. The team plays in the Liprobakin, Kinshasa's premier basketball league. The team has won the Kinshasa title one time in 2021, and have won the Congolese Cup in 2021. Espoir Fukash played in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) during the 2022 season

Espoir Fukash
Espoir Fukash logo
LeagueLiprobakin
Founded2019
HistoryBC Espoir Fukash
2019–present
LocationKinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
PresidentSuzy Kashiama Kafutshi
Head coachRaven Mwimba
Championships1 Kinshasa champion
1 Congolese Cup

History

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Created in 2019, Espoir reached the final of the Ligue Provinciale de Kinshasa for the first time in 2020. However, the team lost to BC Terreur.[1] The following season, the team won their first regional championship. In October 2021, Espoir Fukash won the Congolese Cup, their first national trophy in club history.[2] As such, they qualified for the 2022 BAL Qualifying Tournaments.[3] They won their first international game, on 30 October 2021, over Tondema with 102–49.[4] On December 15, Espoir qualified for the 2022 BAL season after eliminating Mali's AS Police in the semi-finals, winning after overtime.[5] As such, the team becomes the first club from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to play in the BAL.

In the 2022 BAL Nile Conference, Espoir was coached by DR Congo-native Emmanuel Mavomo. On April 20, 2022, the team captured its first BAL victory after beating Cape Town Tigers after overtime.[6] Fukash finished in the sixth and last place with a 1–4 record.

Honours

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Coupe du Congo

  • Winners (1): 2021

Liprobakin

  • Champions (1): 2021[7]
    • Runner-up (1): 2020

Players

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Current roster

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The following is the Espoir Fukash roster for the 2022 BAL season group phase.[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Espoir Fukash roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age
PG 00   Mwana Mwamba, Arsène 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 23 – (2001-04-08)8 April 2001
G/F 1   Ambanza, Narcisse (I) 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 27 – (1996-12-03)3 December 1996
SG 2   Ben Ilunga, Mutanga 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 23 – (2001-05-17)17 May 2001
F 4   Okorafor, Emmanuel (E) 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 20 – (2004-06-08)8 June 2004
F 5   Kapongo Kabuya, Djack 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 31 – (1993-02-15)15 February 1993
SG 6   Kasongo Kasasa, Bobo 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 34 – (1990-05-20)20 May 1990
PG 10   Suke Tamba, Habraham 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 23 – (2001-09-17)17 September 2001
PF 12   Mandiangu Makwenda, Jeremie 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 20 – (2004-04-20)20 April 2004
F/C 13   Mpaka Laza, Chris 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 21 – (2003-10-27)27 October 2003
F 15   Fula Nganga, Rolly 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 31 – (1993-02-02)2 February 1993
PF 23   Bobo Mel, Glory 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 35 – (1989-10-02)2 October 1989
F 24   Tshimbau, Jonathan 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 36 – (1988-07-18)18 July 1988
PF 34   Isungu, Emmanuel 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 29 – (1995-01-26)26 January 1995
Head coach
  •   Raven Mwimba
Assistant coach(es)
  •   Emmanuel Mavomo
  •   Giresse Bongubufunao

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Import player
  • (E): BAL Elevate program player
  •   Injured

Updated: April 8, 2022

Season by season

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Season League Conference Regular season Post-season Head Coach
Finish Played Wins Losses Win %
Espoir Fukash
2022 BAL Nile 6th 5 1 4 .200 Did not qualify Emmanuel Mavomo

References

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  1. ^ "Basket – LIPROBAKIN : Première finale pour l'ASB Espoir Fukash !". Eventsrdc.com (in French). 29 September 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Basketball/38ème Coupe du Congo : Espoir Fukash et CNSS sacrés champions". Actualite.cd (in French). 21 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  3. ^ Ndour, Papa Lamine. "BAL : BC Espoir Fukash remplace BC Mazembe pour la RD Congo". Sport News Africa (in French). Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Espoir Fukash run riot, thump Tondema in BAL qualifier". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Espoir Fukash beat AS Police in overtime, qualify to BAL 2022". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  6. ^ "Espoir Fukash fight back from 22-point deficit to register first BAL win". The BAL. 20 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  7. ^ "mediacongo.net - Actualités - LIPROBAKIN : BC Espoir Fukash champion de Kinshasa". www.mediacongo.net. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  8. ^ "BC Espoir Fukash (CONGO)". The BAL. Retrieved 8 April 2022.