Joburg's MBB display great fight in BAL debut against Al Ahli
Johannesburg's Made by Ball (MBB) showed they are not in Rwanda for the Basketball Africa League (BAL) to make up the numbers, displaying plenty of courage in a narrow opening defeat on Saturday.
Though their hopes of a fairytale debut of the tournament were eroded by Libya's Al Ahli Tripoli in an 87-77 loss at the BK Arena in Kigali, the Gauteng side put up a great fight, especially in the final 10 minutes of the game.
It was an enormous occasion for the MBB players, one they said they were excited about in the build-up to the start of the Nile Conference, but in the first 30 minutes, they appeared overwhelmed.
They couldn't match the pace of Tripoli. They would close gaps in the score, but the Libyans would just shift the gears and extend again.
Tripoli's biggest lead of the afternoon was 19 points in the third quarter.
In a bid to be more competitive, MBB introduced their bench, but it lacked major contributions, assembling only 10 points in the game.
Your first @castlelitesa Game Recap of the Nile Conference!
AlAhli takes the W ✅ #BAL5 pic.twitter.com/U4w3UFiDjp
— Basketball Africa League (@theBAL) May 17, 2025
By contrast, the Libyans' substitutes scored 32 points. Their top scorer, Senegalese Jean Jacques Boissy, came from the dugout and added 28 points, seven rebounds, and one assist.
These are areas the players and coaching staff said they would need to rectify before their game against APR of Rwanda on Sunday.
Despite a scare in the opening minutes of the game when Deon Thompson knocked two three-pointers from deep for Tripoli, MBB went toe-to-toe with Tripoli, who are deemed favourites to top the conference.
The north Africans were expected to run away with the game from the get-go.
But US Import, who played in the NBA G-League, Roovan Mooring, calmed the nerves of the South Africans when he made the first two-pointer and MBB's first points in the BAL.
MBB head coach Sam Vincent cracked a smile, and there were roars from the bench and high-fives as MBB signalled their arrival at Africa's biggest tournament
The first quarter ended 15-10 with the Libyans leading, and from then on, Tripoli stepped their foot on the accelerator in the second quarter with Boissy the aggressor.
They went to the halftime break with a 12-point advantage, leading 45-33.
In the third quarter, Tripoli seemed to have everything going their way offensively, but MBB kept up the fight, and the third quarter finished 64-50.
In the final quarter, MBB turned on the charm with Mooring, Teafale Lenard Jnr and Robinson Opong Odoch leading from the front to close the gap to five points in the last four minutes.
But Tripoli fought their way out of what would have been a great moment for SA basketball.
Mooring finished with 26 points, Lenard Jnr with 20 and Odoch made 15.
MBB next play home team Armée Patriotique Rwandaise on Sunday (5.30pm).
• Anathi Wulushe is in Rwanda courtesy of the BAL.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
3 days ago
- The South African
Cassper Nyovest to light up BAL Playoffs in Pretoria
The 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Playoffs and Finals are set to electrify Pretoria from 6 to 14 June. A star-studded lineup of South African musical talent is taking centre stage during halftime shows at the SunBet Arena. This marks the first time the BAL playoffs and finals will be hosted in South Africa. This is a milestone that promises to blend thrilling basketball action with vibrant cultural celebrations. Award-winning hip hop sensation Cassper Nyovest will ignite the opening night on 6 June. He will perform during the seeding game between Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya), led by former NBA player Jaylen Adams, and Al Ittihad (Egypt). They will be led by ex-NBA player George King according to the NBA . Cassper's high-energy show is expected to set the tone for the entire tournament. Other top South African artists will light up the stage throughout the playoffs. Ch'cco, Aymos, Blxckie, Bassie, Maglera Doe Boy, and Focalistic will all perform during halftime. This ensures that every game is a feast for both basketball and music lovers. Blxckie will perform on 7 June during the US Monastir vs Rivers Hoopers game. Aymos will take the stage during the second semifinal on 11 June. The finals on 14 June will feature Maglera Doe Boy and Focalistic, promising a grand closing celebration. BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall expressed excitement about this new chapter. 'The league has seen tremendous growth over the first four seasons. Hosting the playoffs and finals in Pretoria will build on that momentum and further showcase the level of talent and passion for basketball in Africa.' He emphasised how the event will be a celebration of African excellence on and off the court. The BAL Fan Zone at SunBet Arena will offer a lively atmosphere beyond the games. Fans can enjoy official BAL merchandise, delicious food and drinks, DJ performances, and interactive entertainment. This will create a full-day experience for attendees. The 2025 BAL season features 12 club teams from across Africa, including South Africa's own Made by Basketball (MBB). Sam Vincent, the 1986 NBA champion, coaches the MBB team. The playoffs will showcase the continent's best, with teams such as Al Ittihad (Egypt), Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria), US Monastir (Tunisia), and Petro de Luanda (Angola) competing for the title. For South African fans, this is a celebration of culture, music, and basketball coming home. As Cassper Nyovest put it, 'Bringing my music to the BAL playoffs in Pretoria feels like a full-circle moment. It's where sport meets culture, and I can't wait to share that energy with my people.' With basketball thrills and unforgettable halftime shows, the 2025 BAL Playoffs and Finals promise to be a landmark event in South Africa's sporting and entertainment calendar. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Herald
25-05-2025
- The Herald
MBB miss out on Pretoria playoffs after BAL conference elimination
From then, MBB found their mojo and put up a seven-point extension into the score line and were 14-7 with four minutes remaining, but the Libyan outfit made a comeback and tied the game 16-16 with two minutes left. Though MBB were resilient, Al Ahly ended up winning the quarter 23-16. MBB kept on chipping important buckets in the second quarter, but whenever they moved closer to Tripoli's score, Italian head coach Abou Chacra's men would step on the accelerator. The closest difference MBB moved to was a three-point deficit at 30-27 with four minutes before halftime. Al Ahly, who had already secured a place in the playoffs, went to the dressing room team talk ahead at 42-34. The Libyans ensured that the writing was on the wall for the South Africans and diminished any thoughts of a miracle comeback. They walked away with the game in the third quarter. Jean Jacques Boissy, who was arguably the best player in the conference, slotted a three-point step back jump shot five minutes into the quarter, and Al Ahly took a lead of 22 points. Tripoli had a 69-48 advantage heading into the last 10 minutes of the game. Despite Lenard, Prinsloo and Mooring putting shots at the end, it was not enough to stop the Libyans as they walked away with a 29-point win. US player Jaylen Adams, who played 32:43 for Tripoli, finished with a top score of 28 points. Daily Dispatch
TimesLIVE
25-05-2025
- TimesLIVE
MBB miss out on Pretoria playoffs after BAL conference elimination
Johannesburg's Made by Ball's (MBB) dream of reaching the Basketball Africa League playoffs in their debut season was torpedoed when they were beaten 102-73 by Al Alhy Tripoli in their last Nile Conference game at the BK Arena in Kigali on Sunday. This means SA will not have a representative when the playoffs take place at the Sunbet Arena in Pretoria in two weeks. MBB had to beat conference leaders Al Ahly if they were to qualify to play on home soil as per the standings. They needed to finish second or at least third for the last wild card spot. That spot falls to FUS Rabat of Morocco, who, like MBB, won two games but have a better points difference of -19 compared with the Johannesburg side's -64. US import Teafale Lenard Jr put in another impressive shift on top of his 39 points which he had scored the previous day. The ex-NBA G League player put up 18 points, 11 rebounds and two assists, but his efforts were not enough to carry the team over the line. Jovan Mooring with 10 points and Pieter Prinsloo (11) were the only other players to score double figures. The bench contributed 27 points. By contrast, the men from Libya had 49 points. The 2.13m tall David Craig, who missed the Nairobi City Thunder game on Saturday with a stomach bug, returned to the starting five and was the only change head coach Sam Vincent made. Tripoli quickly opened up a four-point gap from the tip-off, but Lenard levelled matters. With that kind of clinical display from the perimeter, there is no question why Jaylen Adams walks away with the @visitrwanda_now MVP accolade 👏. #BAL5 — Basketball Africa League (@theBAL) May 25, 2025 From then, MBB found their mojo and put up a seven-point extension into the score line and were 14-7 with four minutes remaining, but the Libyan outfit made a comeback and tied the game 16-16 with two minutes left. Though MBB were resilient, Al Ahly ended up winning the quarter 23-16. MBB kept on chipping important buckets in the second quarter, but whenever they moved closer to Tripoli's score, Italian head coach Abou Chacra's men would step on the accelerator. The closest difference MBB moved to was a three-point deficit at 30-27 with four minutes before halftime. Al Ahly, who had already secured a place in the playoffs, went to the dressing room team talk ahead at 42-34. The Libyans ensured that the writing was on the wall for the South Africans and diminished any thoughts of a miracle comeback. They walked away with the game in the third quarter. Jean Jacques Boissy, who was arguably the best player in the conference, slotted a three-point step back jump shot five minutes into the quarter, and Al Ahly took a lead of 22 points. Tripoli had a 69-48 advantage heading into the last 10 minutes of the game. Despite Lenard, Prinsloo and Mooring putting shots at the end, it was not enough to stop the Libyans as they walked away with a 29-point win. US player Jaylen Adams, who played 32:43 for Tripoli, finished with a top score of 28 points.
