Meanwhile Al Ittihad remains favourite to progress to the playoffs of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). They earned their place with a sparkling fourth-straight win. Egyptian giants Al Ahly eked out a 1-0 victory over Stade Malien to extend their unbeaten streak. With this win, they prove their place as heavy favorites in the tournament. Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers suffered disappointment as they fell to Al Ittihad. They rebounded, winning their final group match against hosts FUS Rabat and claiming their place in the playoff round.
The tournament saw some intense rivalry on the field among all participating teams, specifically the Rivers Hoopers, FUS Rabat, Stade Malien of Mali and Al Ittihad of Egypt. After losing their opening game to Al Ittihad by a goal to nil, the hosts FUS Rabat were already on the back foot.
The Rivers Hoopers recovered from losing to the same opponents previously, winning over FUS Rabat. This heart-stopping victory clinched their place in the playoffs. This win represented an important triumph for the Nigerian national side. This time around, they are hell-bent on going even further in next year’s tournament and reaching the finals with the goal of winning it all.
“If you have a Hall of Famer with that attitude and commitment, you’re going to be relevant wherever you are. His contribution brought a spotlight to everything we did,” said Amadou Fall.
The BAL will feature two other conferences: the Sahara Conference in Dakar, Senegal from April 26 to May 4, and the Nile Conference in Kigali, Rwanda from May 17 to May 25. The playoffs will begin in Pretoria, South Africa, on June 6, 2025. The finals will come next, bringing the competition to a close on June 14, 2025.
The Kalahari Conference Tournament outcomes point to just how competitive of a year it has been during this year’s State Championship process. What is most impressive about Al Ittihad’s run is how regular they are, as they’re the only team that hasn’t lost a game. Their most recent victory over Stade Malien further highlights their status as one of the favorites coming into the playoffs.
As the BAL heads into its third season, it still piques the interests of basketball fans all throughout Africa and the world. Will Perry, a player inspired by the league’s prominence, shared his enthusiasm: “I had a teammate named Stephen Ugochukwu who told me about the Basketball Africa League. He told me J. Cole was playing in the league and that was my favourite rapper. I was like: ‘Alright – well, let’s watch it.’”
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