The Kalahari Conference of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) wrapped up in Pretoria, South Africa, with four teams—Rwanda’s Tigers, Angola’s Petro de Luanda, Libya’s Al Ahly, and Tanzania’s Dar City—securing qualification for the playoffs set to take place in Kigali, Rwanda. With this stage concluded, focus now shifts to the upcoming Sahara Conference scheduled to be held in Rabat, Morocco, later in April, while the playoffs themselves are expected to run from May 22 to 31 at the BK Arena.
One of the standout moments of the conference came when Nairobi City Thunder handed the previously unbeaten Tigers their first loss, claiming a 101–92 victory. Derrick Ogechi led the charge with an impressive 22 points, while Tylor Ongwae contributed significantly across the board with 17 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Despite the loss, Antino Jackson Jr. delivered a strong performance for the Tigers, finishing with 24 points and nine assists.
In another decisive encounter, Petro de Luanda dominated the Johannesburg Giants with a commanding 105–61 win to close out the group stage. Javion Blake starred for Petro with 21 points and nine assists, while Aboubacar Gakou recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. On the opposing side, Josh Ozabor led the Giants with 19 points, but the team struggled overall, marking their fifth consecutive defeat in the competition.
Earlier in the tournament, the Tigers had already secured their playoff spot in dramatic fashion with an 82–78 victory over Petro de Luanda. The game was decided in the final moments when Antino Jackson Jr. sank a crucial three-pointer with just seconds remaining. Teafale Lenard Jr. led the Tigers with 26 points and five steals, while Mangok Mathiang Ayub added a solid double-double performance. Petro’s Childe Dundao also made an impact, contributing 19 points from the bench.
Nairobi City Thunder also celebrated an earlier milestone by earning their first win of the 2026 BAL season with a 71–65 triumph over the Johannesburg Giants. Garang Diing delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 24 points and leading a decisive fourth-quarter push. Tylor Ongwae and Lance Thomas supported with 12 and 10 points respectively, while Jakobi Heady and Nkosinathi Sibanyoni stood out for the Giants despite the loss.
