Latest news with #SaharaConference
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:
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:
Ya Biladi
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
FUS Rabat falls to Rivers Hoopers in second BAL match
FUS Rabat suffered a second consecutive defeat in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Kalahari Conference, losing 88–82 to Nigeria's Rivers Hoopers on Sunday at the indoor arena of the Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat. This loss follows Saturday's opening match, in which the Moroccan club was defeated 71–60 by Egypt's Al Ittihad of Alexandria. In another game on Sunday, Al Ittihad narrowly beat Stade Malien 72–69. FUS Rabat will face Stade Malien in their third game of the tournament on Tuesday. The Kalahari Conference, featuring FUS Rabat, Al Ittihad (Egypt), Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria), and Stade Malien, marks the opening phase of the 2025 BAL season. The competition is taking place in Rabat until April 13. It will be followed by the Sahara Conference, scheduled from April 26 to May 4 in Dakar, Senegal, and the Nile Conference, from May 17 to 25 in Kigali, Rwanda. The top eight teams across the three conferences will qualify for the playoffs, set to begin on June 6 in Pretoria, South Africa.
Zawya
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Zawya
Basketball Africa league Announces Collaboration with Wave Senegal and Wave Cote d'Ivoire
The Basketball Africa League (BAL) ( and Wave, Africa's fastest-growing mobile money platform, have joined forces to elevate the fan experience and make basketball more accessible in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire. The collaboration will introduce a series of engaging initiatives designed to bring communities closer to the game in conjunction with the 2025 BAL season. Leading up to the BAL's Sahara Conference group phase that will take place from Saturday, April 26 – Sunday, May 4, at the Dakar Arena in Senegal, the BAL and Wave will host a 5-on-5 streetball basketball tournament in Dakar for eight teams of male players. The tournament will tip off on Saturday, March 22 and culminate with a championship game in early May. The eight teams will be comprised of four teams selected by the Senegalese Basketball Federation and four open spots. Registration for the open spots is open now here ( after which a selection committee will review the applications and determine the four participating teams. In addition to promoting local competition, Wave is dedicated to enhancing the BAL experience by making it more accessible and rewarding for fans. Wave users will have the opportunity to earn exclusive rewards, gifts, and other exciting perks through the Wave App rewards program, allowing more people to engage with the excitement of the BAL. Wave users can take advantage of exclusive offers on tickets for the BAL games in Dakar, which are available for purchase now at and The marketing partnership extends beyond Senegal and will also bring impactful initiatives to Côte d'Ivoire. In September 2025, Wave and the BAL will unveil a newly refurbished basketball court in Abidjan, offering young athletes a modern and inspiring space to develop their skills. In addition to the unveiling, the BAL and Wave will organize a training camp at the court for local youth. Additionally, one lucky Wave user from Côte d'Ivoire will win an all-expenses-paid trip to South Africa to attend the 2025 BAL Finals in Pretoria on June 14, where they will have the opportunity to experience the culmination of the BAL season. 'Our collaboration with Wave is part of our commitment to make the BAL and basketball more accessible across the continent,' said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall. 'We look forward to working together to provide more opportunities for youth, players and fans in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire to engage with the game and our league.' Echoing this sentiment, Wave Senegal General Director El Hadji Malick Guèye highlighted the synergy between basketball and financial inclusion, stating, 'This marketing partnership with the BAL aligns perfectly with Wave's ambition to expand access to essential services, both in finance and culture. As we revolutionized digital payments in the transport sector, we believe that supporting basketball can be a powerful driver of change. By making the BAL more accessible and launching community-driven initiatives, we reinforce our commitment to a cashless, inclusive, and connected Africa.' Katier Bamba, Wave Côte d'Ivoire General Director, emphasized the collaboration's local significance: 'Basketball is a growing passion in Côte d'Ivoire, and we are thrilled to work with the BAL to provide opportunities that will leave a lasting impact on the community. The court refurbishment in Abidjan will not only give young athletes a professional-grade space to develop their skills but also serve as a hub for local engagement and youth empowerment. Our commitment to financial inclusion extends beyond digital payments; it's about creating experiences and opportunities that uplift entire communities.' The Sahara Conference group phase will feature home team ASC Ville de Dakar (Senegal), defending BAL champion Petro de Luanda (Angola), first-time BAL participant Kriol Star (Cape Verde) and 2022 BAL champion US Monastir (Tunisia). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Basketball Africa League (BAL). El Hadji Serigne Falilou Mback CISSE, Wave +221 77 484 98 87 Yasmina Ndella Bileoma, Wave +221 77 555 49 53 yasmina@ Fans can follow the BAL (@ theBAL) on: Facebook: Instagram: Threads: X: YouTube: Register their interest in receiving more information at About the BAL: The Basketball Africa League (BAL), a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that will tip off its fifth season in April 2025. Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, the BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA Africa has organized across the continent and marks the NBA's first collaboration to operate a league outside North America. About WAVE: Wave Mobile Money is Africa's fastest-growing mobile money product. Wave is using technology to build a radically inclusive and extremely affordable financial network. Our ambition is to make Africa the first cashless continent in the world. Wave is operating in seven countries (Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Uganda, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Mali,&Burkina Faso). You can learn more at
