Latest news with #KriolStar
Zawya
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Zawya
US Monastir, Petro de Luanda and Kriol Star Advance to the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Playoffs in South Africa
Anderson Correia got 16 points and five rebounds, Ivan Almeida added 14 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists and Basketball Africa League (BAL) ( debutant Kriol Star (Cape Verde) defeated the defending champion Petro de Luanda (Angola) 71-69 in overtime, booking their spot to the 2025 BAL Playoffs which will take place at SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa from 6-14 June. NBA Academy Africa prospect Lewis Uvwo played 40 minutes and finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. The Star outrebounded Petro 52-43, but also finished with 28 turnovers. Glofate Buiamba led Petro with 16 points, with Aboubacar Gakou adding 15 points and seven rebounds. With 3 wins and 3 losses, both teams qualified to the BAL Playoffs in Pretoria – Petro finished second and the Star finished third in the Sahara Conference. In the second game this evening, Osiris Eldridge (22 points and four assists) and former NBA Academy Africa prospect Babacar Sane (13 points and 12 rebounds) led the 2022 BAL champion US Monastir (Tunisia) to a 77-68 win over ASC Ville de Dakar (Senegal). The win gave Monastir (4-2) the top place in the Sahara Conference and an automatic qualification to the playoffs. Monastir shot 43 percent from the floor and outrebounded Dakar 45-39. Will Perry led Dakar with 20 points and seven assists and Makhtar Gueye added 18 points as the host team concluded their 2025 BAL campaign. More than 47,000 fans attended the Sahara Conference games at Dakar Arena in Senegal. The 2025 BAL season will continue with the Nile Conference group phase which will be held from 17-25 May at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda. The Nile Conference will feature four teams: Made By Basketball (MBB, South Africa), Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya), Nairobi City Thunder (Kenya) and Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball (APR, Rwanda). The top two teams from the Nile Conference and a team with a better record between FUS Rabat (Morocco, Kalahari Conference) and the team which will finish third in the Nile Conference will join Al Ittihad (Egypt), Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria), US Monastir, Petro de Luanda and Kriol Star in the 2025 BAL Playoffs in South Africa. Postgame media availability: Kriol Star v Petro de Luanda ( US Monastir v ASC Ville de Dakar ( Standings: Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Zawya
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Zawya
Basketball Africa League (BAL) Debutant Kriol Star Defeats Home Team ASC Ville de Dakar in Overtime, Petro Beats Monastir
Patrick McGlynn (29 points) and Ivan Almeida (22 points and nine rebounds) combined for 51 points and BAL debutant ( Kriol Star (Cape Verde) beat home team ASC Ville de Dakar 95-92 in overtime on a night to remember in the packed Dakar Arena in Senegal last night. Dakar outrebounded the Star 58-34, which included 24 offensive rebounds, and led in second chance points 26-10, but finished the game with 16 turnovers, compared to the Star's five. Makhtar Gueye led Dakar with 20 points and six rebounds, with Ater Majok adding 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. Earlier in the afternoon, the defending champion Petro de Luanda (Angola) beat the 2022 BAL champion US Monastir (Tunisia) 78-68. Four Petro players scored in double digits, including 21 points and 11 rebounds from Rigberto Mendoza. Led by Patrick Hardy Jr. (16 points), Monastir were more efficient from behind the arc (41.2 percent), but turned the ball over 21 times. With every team's record tied (2 wins and 2 losses), and two games left to play for each contender, it will all come down to the final weekend of the competition. US Monastir will take on Kriol Star and ASC Ville de Dakar will face Petro de Luanda when the Sahara Conference continues on Saturday. The 2025 Basketball Africa League season is reaching fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages through free-to-air and paid TV broadcast partnerships, including on Canal+, ESPN, FIBA's digital platform Courtside 1891 and livestreaming on the NBA App, and the BAL's YouTube ( channel. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Basketball Africa League (BAL). Postgame media availabilities: Petro de Luanda v US Monastir ( ASC Ville de Dakar v Kriol Star ( Sahara Conference Standings:
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Athlete Ventures In Action: How Kriol Star Is Transforming The Basketball Landscape In Cape Verde
As the lines between sport, business, and culture continue to blur, today's athletes are no longer just performers, they're founders, investors, and storytellers. But what Cape Verdean brothers Joel and Ivan Almeida are building with Kriol Star goes beyond the familiar athlete-to-entrepreneur trajectory. Founded in 2024, Kriol Star is a rare example of athletes creating a scalable, values-driven venture while still competing professionally. Positioned at the intersection of grassroots development and international opportunity, the team is Cape Verde's first representative in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and a case study in strategic legacy-building. By leveraging their credibility, connections, and shared vision, the Almeidas have not only created a pathway for local talent but also attracted global investment, turning their on-court credibility into long-term, community-driven capital. In an interview with Almeida shared more about the inception of the team, the funding behind it, their path to the continent's biggest stage as well as the competition so far. Kriol Star's origin story is rooted in community and vision. The team, which grew out of a foundation which shares the same name is, a grassroots initiative focused on empowering youth through sport and opportunity. What began as a social project soon evolved into a professional mission, fuelled by the brothers' shared love for basketball and a commitment to creating something lasting for future generations. Kriol Star Founder and Player, Joel Almeida Supplied/BAL At the heart of Kriol Star's mission are Joel and Ivan, whose journey from Cape Verde to international play has driven the team's vision. "We've shared the court since we were young," says Joel. "It's always amazing to do this with your brother, someone you've been to battle with." This bond, forged through years of playing together, is central to their ambition: to build not just a successful team, but a lasting legacy for Cape Verdean basketball. "It's important to leave a legacy and create a pathway for the next generation," Joel insists. From the outset, the Almeidas understood they needed to combine their passion for the game with strategic thinking. They recognised Cape Verde's untapped talent but also the lack of structure to harness it. This insight led them to create the Cape Verdean Basketball League (CBL), a platform designed to identify and elevate local players. The league became a cornerstone of their strategy, paving the way for their team's entry into continental competition. 'We had a vision from the very beginning, and we stayed true to our core values,' Joel shared. 'The execution was key.' The team made history in the Road to the BAL 2025, becoming the first team from Cape Verde to compete in FIBA's elite continental qualifying tournaments. Their presence alone was a statement: Cape Verde was ready to join Africa's basketball renaissance. Behind that leap was not only talent but strategic thinking and key investment. A pivotal figure in The CBL and Kriol Star's journey is Paul Bragiel, a prominent Silicon Valley investor and founder of an early-stage technology fund. Known for backing over 200 startups, Bragiel saw in Kriol Star a unique blend of potential, vision, and impact. 'Paul Bragiel was one of our main investors,' Joel explains. 'He played a significant role in helping us compete on the Road to the BAL. We brainstormed how to get a CBL team into the BAL. I said, 'We have the talent, we just need to put everything together, enter the Road to the BAL, and qualify.'' That belief, coupled with Bragiel's support, helped unlock the resources Kriol Star needed to only dream big, but also execute with precision. His backing signalled a larger shift: African basketball was becoming a viable destination for global capital and strategic partnerships. Kriol Star's debut in the Sahara Conference of the BAL, currently taking place in Senegal, hasn't been without challenges. Going up against some of Africa's most experienced and well-resourced teams was always going to be tough. Their campaign began with a hard-fought loss to reigning champions, Angola's Petro de Luanda, but instead of faltering, the team responded with resilience. 'It's not about how hard you fall, it's about how quickly you bounce back,' Joel emphasised. And bounce back they did. In a defining moment, Kriol Star claimed a crucial victory over Senegal's ASC Ville de Dakar, a gritty performance highlighted by Joel's 16 points and five three-pointers. That win was more than just redemption; it was a statement: Kriol Star wasn't here to participate; they were here to compete. 'We showed a lot of character, resilience, and guts,' Joel said. 'We imposed our rhythm and played with grit.' Following their loss to Tunisia's US Monastir to close out the first round, they now approach the final stretch of group games, holding a 1-2 record and ranked 4th in the standings. The pressure is on. With a -42 goal difference, every rebound, every defensive stop, and every possession matters as they fight for a spot in the next round. But their story is far from over. For a debut team, the odds may be steep, but belief runs deep. Kriol Star represents more than a team's entry into elite competition, it's the embodiment of a new kind of sports entrepreneurship. By building infrastructure, mobilising investment, and anchoring their brand in purpose, Joel and Ivan Almeida are reshaping how we think about athlete-led ventures. Their story is about vision in motion, about lifting others as they climb, and proving that long-term impact doesn't have to wait until after retirement. For Cape Verde, it's a moment of arrival. For African basketball, it's a model of what's possible when ambition meets alignment. And for global investors, it's a signal: the future of sport is collaborative, community-rooted, and already here.
Zawya
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Zawya
Basketball Africa League (BAL) Debutant Ville de Dakar Stun Defending Champion Petro de Luanda on Day 3 of Sahara Conference
Makhtar Gueye had 16 points and 11 rebounds, Abdoulaye Harouna added 15 points and Ater Majok added 14 points and six rebounds, and the BAL debutants Ville de Dakar (Senegal) ( stunned the defending champion Petro de Luanda (Angola) at Dakar Arena, winning their first head-to-head matchup in the competition 65-64. It was ASC Ville de Dakar's second win over a BAL champion, and their second win in this year's Sahara Conference, having defeated US Monastir 70-67 on the opening night on Saturday. Dakar nearly squandered their morale-boosting victory after committing two consecutive eight-second violations in the final moments of the game, but Petro de Luanda failed to capitalize on it. Patrick Gardner led Petro with 19 points and nine rebounds. In an earlier game yesterday, 2022 BAL champion US Monastir (Tunisia) defeated Kriol Star (Cape Verde) 88-72. Monastir converted 47.8 percent of their shots. led by Patrick Hardy Jr. (19 points and five assists) and Firas Lahyani (15 points, eight rebounds). Ivan Almeida led the Star with a game-high 22 points and 12 rebounds, with Patrick McGlynn adding 18 points. The BAL Sahara Conference group phase will resume on Thursday, 1 May when Petro de Luanda takes on US Monastir at 2:30 p.m. GMT (4:30 p.m. CAT) and ASC Ville de Dakara faces Kriol Star at 5:30 p.m. GMT (7:30 p.m. CAT) on Canal+, ESPN, FIBA's digital platform Courtside 1891 and livestreaming on the NBA App ( and the BAL's YouTube channel ( Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Basketball Africa League (BAL). Postgame media availabilities: US Monastir v Kriol Star ( Ville de Dakar v Petro de Luanda ( Sahara Conference Standings:
