Ntore Habimana
{{Short description|Rwandan basketball player (born 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Ntore Habimana
| team = APR
| league = Rwanda Basketball League
BAL
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|8|15}}
| birth_place = Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| nationality = {{hlist|Canadian|Rwandan}}
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| college = Wilfrid Laurier (2016–2021)
| career_start = 2022
| years1 = 2022
| team1 = REG
| years2 = 2022
| team2 = Edmonton Stingers
| position = Point guard
| weight_lb = 185
| highlights = * 4× RBL champion (2022, 2023, 2024 RBL season|2024]], 2025 RBL season|2025]])
| years3 = 2022–present
| team3 = APR
| medal_templates = {{MedalSport | Men's basketball}}
{{MedalCountry|{{RWA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|FIBA AfroCan}}
{{MedalBronze|Angola 2023|}}
| number = 25
}}
Ntore Habimana (born August 15, 1997) is a Canadian-born Rwandan basketball player for the APR of the Rwanda Basketball League (RBL). He is a member of the Rwanda national team. His position has been described as a point forward.{{Cite web |last=Sikubwabo |first=Damas |date=2022-06-24 |title=Rwanda: World Cup Qualifiers – Habimana Looks to Build Off Bal Rookie Season |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202206240319.html |access-date=2022-07-22 |website=allAfrica.com |language=en}}
Early life
Habimana was born in Mississauga, Ontario to a Rwandan father and Burundian mother, who had moved to Canada in 1994.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-14 |title=Ntore Habimana: 23-year-old youthful basketball prodigy on his rising career |url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/sports/ntore-habimana-23-year-old-youthful-basketball-prodigy-his-rising-career |access-date=2022-07-22 |website=The New Times {{!}} Rwanda |language=en}} As a kid, he idolized Vince Carter.
College career
Habimana played five seasons of U Sports men's basketball for the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks and averaged 10.1 points in his final season.{{Cite web |title=MBASK guard Habimana named to Rwandan national team |url=https://laurierathletics.com/news/2021/02/10/10786_Article.aspx |access-date=2022-07-22 |website=Laurier Athletics – Waterloo Campus |language=en}} On February 18, 2020, he had a career-high 20 points against the Waterloo Warriors.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-22 |title=Stingers Bring On Pair Of Late Additions |url=https://www.thestingers.ca/stingers-bring-on-pair-of-late-additions |access-date=2022-07-22 |website=www.thestingers.ca |language=en}}
Professional career
On March 2, 2022, Habimana signed his first professional contract with REG BBC of the Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) and the Basketball Africa League (BAL). He was not on the roster for the 2022 BAL Playoffs.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-19 |title=BAL: REG drops Pitchou Manga and Ntore Habimana ahead of playoffs |url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/sports/bal-reg-drops-pitchou-manga-and-ntore-habimana-ahead-playoffs |access-date=2022-07-22 |website=The New Times {{!}} Rwanda |language=en}} Habimana won the 2022 RBL championship with REG.
On July 22, 2022, Habimana signed with the Edmonton Stingers.
On October 6, 2022, he signed a 2-year contract with APR.{{Cite web |last=Sikubwabo |first=Damas |date=2022-10-06 |title=Basketball: APR signs trio of Mpoyo, Ntore and Nshobozwa |url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/1579/sports/basketball/basketball-apr-signs-trio-of-mpoyo-ntore-and-nshobozwa |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=The New Times |language=en}} He was on APR's roster that finished in third place in the 2025 BAL season.{{Cite web |title=APR clinch third place in the 2025 BAL in a record-breaking game |url=https://bal.nba.com/news/apr-clinch-third-place-in-the-2025-bal-in-a-record-breaking-game |access-date=2025-06-14 |website=The BAL |language=en}}
National team career
Since 2021, Habimana is a member of the Rwanda men's national basketball team. He won a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA AfroCan in Angola, the first-ever podium finish for the country.{{Cite web |title=Rwanda see off DR Congo for historic podium finish |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/afrocan/2023/news/rwanda-see-off-dr-congo-for-historic-podium-finish |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=FIBA.basketball |language=en}}
Honours
APR
- Basketball Africa League third place: 2025
- Rwanda Basketball League: 2023, 2024
REG
- Rwanda Basketball League: 2022