Liam Ried: From water boy to the Basketball Africa League

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 Cape Town Tigers are one of the eight sides which is trying to win it all. For a talent heavy squad like the Tigers, which features former NBA, NCAA Division I and South African international players, one would probably not pay much attention to a player like Liam Ried, who has does not possess the same polished basketball pedigree. However, the story of Tigers forward, and Pietermaritzburg native Liam Ried is telling of how much hard work, determination and the ability to overcome adversity can lead to success both on and off the court. In this interview, we will speak to Liam about his basketball journey with the Tigers which has seen him go from the water boy, to potential BAL champion.

Liam, can you tell us a bit about your basketball journey?

In 2014 I was selected to participate in the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp and subsequently went to Las Vegas (United States) for six months in 2015 i to improve my basketball craft. I returned in 2016 and obtained a scholarship to attend Durban High School (DHS). In 2018, I was signed to play for the Soweto Panthers in the Basketball National League (BNL), wherein I won a championship. I the decided to take up a new challenge with the KwaZulu Marlins, with whom I featured with, for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

How did you end up with the Cape Town Tigers?

When basketball activities were stopped due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, I was studying education at Varsity College and had a good job. Nevertheless, I felt I still had more that I wanted to do with my basketball career, so I reached out to Coach Relton Booysen of the Tigers about having a chance to try out with the team and in June I went down to Cape Town to show them what I got.

How was your integration into the Tigers camp?

As I already said, the decision to test the waters in Cape Town was an extremely difficult because in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) I had solid opportunities, but nothing was set in stone with the Tigers. It didn’t get easier because two days after I arrived Cape Town, the riots which hit KZN, commenced and my family was severely impacted by these sad events. Nevertheless, I realised that the opportunities to play basketball at a high-level and in a sound environment are minimal in the country, so I decided to embrace this chance with open arms and an open mindset.

What did you do in order to overcome these challenges

Firstly, I had to be honest with my self and acknowledge that I didn’t possess a skill set which was at the same level as the more experienced and overseas based players and had to adopt a mindset which would allow me to get better. I was fortunate to have players like Chris Gabriel and Pieter Prinsloo help me to bridge these gaps which I had in the quality of my play. Initially it felt like I was swimming in the deep end but having a positive mindset and being surrounded by veterans who were willing to teach me on how to get better enabled me to overcome this obstacle.

How did you feel winning the South African Club Championships?

Playing at the Club Championships was another great achievement as it was my first time playing against top players who play their trade in the Johannesburg Basketball League (JBL), many of whom have had international basketball experience. However, even though I was excited to participate in the competition and win the trophy with the Tigers, it was a further realisation of how much effort I needed to invest in order to improve my game.

When you weren’t selected to play for the BAL Qualifiers, how did you feel?

It was a very difficult pill to swallow, especially since I found out about my non-selection over social media and not through official team channels. Despite the disappointment, I decided to be the best teammate possible and see where I could add value in other ways.  I continued to travel with the team, help them during warm-ups, get them water and even lead team chants from the bench.

Considering your non-selection for the BAL Qualifiers, how did you feel when you were selected to play in the Sahara Conference fixtures that took place in Cairo, Egypt?

To be honest, I really didn’t put too much thought into whether I was going to make the BAL squad and was thankful for the opportunity I had to train with the team and get better in the process. Regardless, when I was confirmed to play in Cairo, I was extremely excited as it was going to be my first international club experience and I understood my selection was because I had gotten 10 times better compared to when I had first joined the team.

How did you feel after the Tigers qualified for the BAL playoffs?

I didn’t have any immediate motions, but the importance of our qualification hit me much later and it has served as motivation for me to get better and I believe this was a sentiment shared by my Tigers teammates as well.

What are your career ambitions going forward?

As I’ve said throughout this conversation, I want to get better. For the moment I am looking forward to doing this within the Tigers system, but I would be happy if a professional opportunity in Asia or Europe was available in the near-term.

Concluding remarks?

I hope that many more basketball stakeholders put more effort into creating a sound ecosystem for the sport and for players to not give and continue to