BAL Playoffs 2022 Semi-final Preview

The second season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) has reached its apex with the organisation of the BAL playoffs, which will take place from 21-29 May in Kigali (Rwanda) at the splendid Kigali Arena. The playoffs, which were preceded by two separate rounds of play from the Sahara Conference and Nile Conference, which took place respectively in March and April, will see eight sides battle it out to decide who will become the second BAL champion after Egyptian side Zamalek’s 2021 triumph. The eight teams participating at this stage of the competition which will be played in a single-game elimination format include;

• AS Sale Morocco)
• Cape Town Tigers (South Africa)
• Forces Armées et Police Basketball (FAP) de Yaounde (Cameroon)
• Petro de Luanda (Angola)
• Rwanda Energy Group (REG) (Rwanda)
• Seydou Legacy Atheltique Club (SLUC) (Guinea)
• US Monastir (Tunisia)
• Zamalek (Egypt)

From the 21-22 May, we had four high-level matches played, which saw Petro de Luanda, FAP and US Monastir and Zamalek advance to the BAL Playoff semifinals. While the first three teams advanced to the last four with relative ease, FAP pulled off the shock of the BAL 2022 campaign, by defeating the playoff hosts in front of a sold-out crowd which included Rwandan head of state Paul Kagame. The next set of games which will take place at the Kigali Arena on 25 May are poised to be extremely exciting, as FAP takes on Petro, followed by the North African derby and repeat of the inaugural BAL 2021 Finals which will pit US Monastir against Zamalek.

Petro v FAP

FAP’s 66-63 victory over BAL 2022 Playoff host REG was without a doubt FAP’s most important victory in their two seasons of having participated at the BAL. The Cameroonian side,which is the only returning team from the 2021 edition which took part in the Road2BAL qualifiers, is a highly experienced side, which knows how to play to its two strengths, which are being physical and playing sound defense. BAL commentator Quintin Denyssen was not surprised by FAP’s win over REG and suggested their victory was due to their ability to play a brand of basketball which the Rwandans could not adjust to. In order for FAP to replicate this exploit, they will have to play as a well-organized defensive unit against the Angolan side which has one of the most prolific scoring records in the BAL. Nevertheless, FAP seems to be up for the challenge. In 2021, they narrowly lost to Petro 66-64 and despite falling 73-60 during Nile Conference play in May, FAP was able to hold Petro to its second lowest total in this years’ competition.

While defense is FAP’s bread and butter, the team has well-known offensive struggles, having failed to cross the 80-point threshold since the start of this BAL campaign. Regardless, FAP possesses a cohort of players in Alexis Wangemene, Brice Eyaga and Cedric Tsangue, all Cameroonian nationals as well as the American-duo of DeShaun Morman, Tyjhai Byers) and Cape Verdean sharp shooter Almeida who can score in double digits in a variety of ways.  

Petro has only lost one game in the BAL 2022 campaign, which was to defending champions Zamalek. The two-time continental champion, which is fresh off winning another national championship earlier this month, handily defeated Moroccan side AS Sale 109-89, on the back of shooting 51.5% from the field and an outstanding 51.4% from three. Petro has an extremely experienced and deep roster which is headlined by Angolan international’s such as Carlos Morais, Yannick Moreira, Aboubakar Gakou and Gerson Domingos amongst others. According to Denyssen, Petro is aware of FAP’s physical style of play and will look to move the ball on the perimeter and make outside shots or open up the game for slashers like Gakou and Correira.

For all their offensive prowess, Petro does not get enough credit for their good defensive play, which was seen in their ability to limit Sale’s backcourt duo of BAL leading scorer Terril Stoglin and Arouna Abdoulaye to a combined 39 points during that match. Petro will look to replicate this effort against Almeida, who is FAPs most dangerous offensive weapon.  

Zamalek v US Monastir

The rematch of the 2021 BAL Finals will be a game for the ages. US Monastir has only lost one game, since the start of BAL 2022 but looked like a very well-oiled machine in their 39-point victory over tournament debutants Cape Town Tigers. The key to US Monastir’s success will depend on how well they can use Ater Majok. The South Sudanese-Lebanese big man is arguably the best two-way player in the BAL, averaging 14.2 points per game and 12.5 rebounds per game (rpg) and is a leading candidate to win this season’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.  Majok has a versatile offensive skill set, possessing the ability to run the floor, play around the basket as well as make the occasional perimeter shot. High-flying Tunisian forward and American import Michael Dixon can equally provide the scoring required to get US Monastir over an inspired Zamalek side.

Zamalek has been unstoppable since the start of BAL 2022. The Egyptian side has the strongest and roster and is coached by Will Voigt, a man who won Afrobasket 2015 with Nigeria and who has also coached the Angolan national side. Dominican Republic international Edgar Sosa has seamlessly filled the void left by fellow Caribbean and 2021 BAL MVP Walter Hodge. Averaging 18.2 ppg and 3.2 assists per game, the versatile guard has been the glue which holds Zamalek together. On the defensive end 2021 BAL Defensive Player of the Year and Egyptian international Anas Mahmoud, has stayed true to his status as the league’s foremost players in the paint, averaging 10.2 rbds and 2.3 blocks per game. Zamalek did not have a great outing against the playoffs number eight seed, SLUC. However, you can never count out a team with the amount of depth and level of experience which Zamalek possesses.