The Basketball Africa League (BAL), established in 2019, faced challenges during its inception but demonstrated resilience. In March 2020, the league announced that its inaugural season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving fans eagerly anticipating live action.
The inaugural season was later rescheduled and hosted at the Kigali Arena, now known as the BK Arena, with strict bio-secure protocols, notably regular COVID-19 testing for players.
Fast forward to 2024, the league is now in its fourth consecutive season, featuring 12 teams competing across three conferences: the Kalahari Conference in Pretoria, South Africa; the Nile Conference in Cairo, Egypt; and the Sahara Conference in Dakar, Senegal. Eight teams have qualified for the fourth BAL playoffs, scheduled from May 24 to June 1 in Kigali.
The teams are AS Douanes from Senegal, Al Ahly SC from Egypt, Al Ahly Ly from Libya, FUS Rabat from Morocco, Rivers Hoopers from Nigeria, Petro de Luanda from Angola, Cape Town Tigers from South Africa, and US Monastir from Tunisia.
“We are excited to welcome dedicated fans and guests to Kigali, Rwanda, for the fourth consecutive BAL Playoffs and Finals,” remarked BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall. “We encourage fans from across Africa and around the world, including those from the African Diaspora, to purchase tickets and witness this display of basketball and entertainment. The BAL Finals remains a platform to inspire, empower, connect communities, and uplift Africa.”
As we near the finals, SENS Magazine explores the future implications of Africa’s premier basketball league for youth development, reflecting on the BAL’s accomplishments over four seasons, opportunities created, talent development, sports facilities, and whether the tournament will leave a lasting legacy in African sports.
APR’s performance in the BAL
Rwandan champions and BAL debutants APR faced elimination after finishing at the bottom of the Sahara Conference group stage. This marked the first time a Rwandan team missed out on the playoffs since the competition’s inception in 2021.
During the conference, two-star players Noel Obadiah and Adonis Filer suffered injuries an unfortunate setback for APR. Obadiah, with an average of 19.4 points per game, also led the tournament in free throws, totaling 40 successful shots from the line.
In a challenging series of games, the injury hit APR Basketball Club faced defeats against AS Douanes (54-79), US Monastir (70-83), and Rivers Hoopers in two close matches (71-78 and 82-86). The Rwandan champions secured two victories during the conference: a 66-61 win against AS Douanes and an 89-84 victory over US Monastir.
The Tournament Format
This year sees the first time the tournament is being played in four different countries with an expanded season featuring the top club teams from 12 African countries competing in a record 48 games across four African nations over four months.
For the first time in BAL history, the 12 participating teams included five new teams representing three new countries: Bangui Sporting Club from the Central African Republic, FUS Rabat from Morocco, Al Ahly from Libya, Armée Patriotique Rwandaise from Rwanda, and Dynamo Basketball Club from Burundi.
They joined seven returning teams, including Petro de Luanda from Angola and US Monastir from Tunisia, who have participated through every season since the league’s launch in 2021.
Eight teams advance to the Playoffs and Finals, including the top two teams from each conference and the two best third-place teams.
These teams will travel to BK Arena in Kigali for four seeding games followed by an eight-game, single-elimination Playoffs, and Finals from May 24 to June 1, where the fourth BAL champion will be crowned.
Kalahari Conference (South Africa)
The Kalahari Conference took place from March 9 to 17 at the Sun Bet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa. The participating teams were Cape Town Tigers (South Africa), Petro de Luanda (Angola), and Fus Rabat (Morocco). FUS Rabat secured 1st place, followed by Petro
De Luanda in 2nd place and Cape Town Tigers in 3rd place. The venue witnessed three sold-out crowds of fans during the tournament.
The Nile Conference (Egypt)
The Nile Conference was held from April 19 to 27 at the Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo, Egypt. Teams in this conference were Al Ahly Sporting Club (Egypt), Al Ahly Ly (Libya), Bangui Sporting Club (CAR), and City Oilers (Uganda).
Al Ahly SC clinched 1st place, with Al Ahly Ly securing 2nd place. Al Ahly SC claimed victory for the first time in the conference’s history since being runners-up in 2023. Jo-Lual Acuil Jr. from Al Ahly Ly set a new BAL all-time scoring record with 42 points, surpassing the previous record
of 41 points held by Will Perry and Terell Stoglin.
Sahara Conference (Senegal)
The Sahara Conference was held from May 4 to 12 at Dakar Arena in Dakar, Senegal. Participating teams included AS Douanes (Senegal), Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (Rwanda), Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria), and US Monastir (Tunisia). Qualified teams from this conference were AS Douanes, US Monastir, and Rivers Hoopers.
Tickets for the Playoffs and Finals
Tickets for the games in Kigali are available for purchase now atBAL.NBA.com and www.ticqet.rw. Single tickets for the Playoffs and Finals start at Rwf2,500 for the four seeding games on May 24 and May 25, with prices as low as Rwf1,600 for the Quarterfinal and Semifinal games on May 26, May 27, and May 29.
Save up to 20% on single ticket prices by purchasing a tournament pass to watch all games during the Playoffs and Finals. Those who purchase tickets will also have free access to the BAL Fan Zone at BK Arena. For group packages, fans can save up to 35% off single ticket prices by emailing [email protected].
How to Watch the Games
If you can’t attend the games in person, don’t worry! The 2024 BAL season is being broadcast to fans in 214 countries and territories, in 17 languages, through free-to-air and paid TV partnerships with the African Union of Broadcasting, American Forces Network (AFN), Canal+, NBA TV, SuperSport, Tencent Video, TSN, TV5 Monde, Visionary TV, and Voice of America (VOA). You can also live stream the games on the NBA App, NBA.com, BAL.NBA.com, and BAL’s.
BAL Community Engagement
Innovation Summit Inspired by basketball, this year’s edition will also feature the BAL Innovation Summit at the Kigali Marriott Hotel on May 30 aimed at the redefinition of Africa’s sports innovation landscape, focusing on youth empowerment, economic growth, and development.
This flagship event fosters collaboration and investment opportunities while showcasing Africa’s brightest talents in sports technology and innovation. The dialogue will highlight Africa’s creative identities through arts, culture, heritage, business, and innovation, mobilizing individuals to unlock opportunities for a stronger and more connected Africa.
The 2023 edition of the summit brought together leaders from business, technology, sports, and entertainment to explore opportunities and potential in the creative and tech sectors across the African continent.
This year’s theme, “Inspiring, Empowering, and Elevating Africa Through Basketball and Sports Innovation,” will convene leaders from the private and public sectors to shape frame works, programs, and partnerships that drive innovation and elevate Africa using the transformative power of sports.
BAL Advance Careers in Sports
The BAL Advance Careers in Sports Workshop brings together all BAL players, staff, coaches, and “BAL Future Pros” for discussions and networking focused on careers in sports. The BAL Future Pros program is being implemented at the league’s headquarters in Dakar, Senegal, from February to May and remotely in Kigali, Rwanda, from March to June, in conjunction with the BAL Playoffs and Finals.
This program offers professionals the opportunity to engage with the BAL’s ten departments namely marketing, social responsibility and player programs, public relations and communications, event management, logistics, business development, marketing partnerships, digital production, merchandising, and travel and hospitality.
Umuganda on Africa Day
Every season, the BAL celebrates Africa Day on May 25 in partnership with the Imbuto Foundation, engaging in Umuganda community service activities alongside BAL guests and
local youth from the basketball community.
Special Olympics Collaboration
The BAL and Special Olympics collaborate to create a curated in-arena experience and unified celebrity game featuring Special Olympics ambassadors and athletes.
For the second consecutive year, they’ll harness the power of sports to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities. Following a successful event in Pretoria with celebrities like Joakim Noah, Maria Borges, and Pearl Thusi, the Unified Game will also occur in Kigali.
BAL 4 HER
BAL4HER is the league’s commitment to promoting gender equality among fans and local stakeholders, fostering pipelines and recruitment opportunities for women across BAL operations. Through BAL game-day assets, team initiatives, and collaborations with corporate and community partners, the BAL provides financial support and raises awareness for organizations advancing the gender equality agenda.
The BAL4HER U23 camp
In Kigali, the league will host a five-day BAL4HER camp to empower and develop young skilled female athletes. The camp will bring together the top 20 under-23 African women for on court and off court development. Campers were selected through identification camps organized in Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and South Africa.
The camp aims to provide high-level basketball experiences, well-being opportunities, and professional development through workshops and networking alongside cultural and community engagement experiences like food tasting and lifestyle sessions.
BAL4HER Career in Sports
During this year’s event, young women from the local basketball community are invited to participate in a BAL4Her basketball clinic, VIP game-day experiences, and workshops focused on building careers in the sports industry.
These sessions took place during the three conferences in Pretoria, Cairo, and Dakar, with an additional session planned for Kigali during the Playoffs and Finals.
At the youth level, Jr. NBA programming has been conducted in 19 African countries for boys and girls under 16, with ongoing efforts to expand grassroots development. At the elite level, over 200 female campers from over 20 African countries have participated in BWB Africa.
In March 2018, the NBA launched the NBA Academy Women’s Program for top female prospects outside the U.S, with over 70 girls from 16 African countries participating in four camps. Eight NBA Academy Women’s Program participants from Africa have received scholarships to attend NCAA Division I schools in the U.S.
As part of the commitment to gender equality, this year’s camp achieved gender parity for the first time, with an equal number of girls and boys (40 each).
Third BAL Season Gender Equality Initiatives.
The BAL4HER x NBA Academy 16 Days of Activism Campaign, which ran from November 25 to December 10, 2023, included a Career in Sports panel at the BAL office and a Gender-Based Violence workshop at the NBA Academy with 30 NBA Academy girls who participated in the five day camp.
In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023, the BAL organized its inaugural BAL4HER U23 camp, hosting 20 female players, four local coaches, and WNBA legend Jewell Lyod for a one-day camp conducted in three different markets. The camp emphasized both on-court and off-court development, raising awareness about women’s basketball through showcases held at arenas between BAL games.
The BAL4HER Careers in Sports Workshop included 50 participants and 30 mentors across three locations. In each market, the BAL invited 50 participants interested in sports careers, nominated by specific institutions to ensure diversity and representation. The BAL selected
15-30 mentor’s female leaders in the sports ecosystem to lead group discussions.
The BAL4HER Mentorship Program, in partnership with Speak Up Africa, involved six participants and six mentors in a virtual program. The BAL selected two young women from each career in the Sports workshop (six in total) through an application process to match
them with sports executives based on their career interests.
Kimironko Basketball Court Refurbished
As part of the BAL Legacy initiative, focusing on refurbishing and building basketball courts across the continent, in May 2023, a renovated 500-seater basketball court comprising
three playing courts and amenities was unveiled by the Basketball Africa League in collaboration with the Rwanda Basketball Federation, Ministry of Sports, and Imbuto Foundation.
The launch was attended by President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame.
With Kigali set to host the Basketball Africa League (BAL) games, playoffs, and finals in 2024, 2026, and 2028, the question of whether we will see a Rwandan champion by then remains open.
The “Visit Rwanda” initiative, a key partner of the BAL, continues to be prominently featured, adorning team uniforms and participating in BAL events.
As teams vie for victory, with Zamalek (Egypt), US Monastir (Tunisia), and Al Ahly (Egypt) having clinched previous championships, the lingering question is who will emerge as
the fourth BAL champion?
