African Giants

The dust from the third edition of the BAL has barely settled as Al Ahly lifted the championship trophy in Kigali, Rwanda after a dominant 80-65 win over AS Douanes.

The tournament saw 12 teams from across the continent compete in 2 conferences with hopes of clinching the 8 coveted playoff spots. The Sahara conference took place in Dakar, Senegal from the 6th-18th of March, followed by the Nile conference, which took place in Cairo, Egypt from the 26th of April till the 6th of May.

League rules allow for each team to have 4 foreign players, along with at least 8 local players from each respective country to make up the roster of 12. Of the 4 foreign players, 2 can be from outside Africa and as a result, there has been a wealth of American talent taking part of the competition and this year was no different.

The league’s infancy did not deter the African athletes from matching their American counterparts in all respects. Their performances were nothing short of amazing as their passion, talent, strength, skills, and athleticism were on full display.

The allowance of 2 foreign players outside of Africa, saw signings of former NCAA, G-League, NBA, Euroleague and other highly decorated and experienced players. This elevated the level of competition and if anything highlighted the level of talent that exists right here, on The African Continent.

This article is a breakdown of some of the top African talent that shone through in the Sahara and Nile Conferences, for the 2023 BAL Regular Season.

Sahara Conference:

Aliou Diarra (Stade Malien)

A late addition to the Malian team, Diarra made an immediate impact on the BAL debutants. At first glance the 6’9 Diarra, who plays at the center position appears to be undersized for the style of play on the continent, as well as in the competition. He however, makes up for this with his ability to hit the mid-range jumper, protect the rim, as well as his lob threat in transition. The young forward averaged a double-double during conference play, scoring 17.8ppg and grabbing a whopping 13.8reb. His dominant presence in the paint has been the driving force behind Stade Malien’s offense and provided much needed protection on defense with him rebounding at 24.5%. Despite the Malien side losing in the semi-finals, Aliou clinched Defensive Player of the Year and All-Defensive Team honours. With Aliou only turning 22 later in the year, his future as well as that of Stade Malien is truly one which the whole world will be paying attention to.

Abdoulaye Harouna (ABC Fighters)

Coach Liz Mills’ ABC fighters were definitely a dark horse coming into this season. Abdoulaye Harouna was crucial to their electrifying performance which had everyone on the edge of their seats. The forward led ABC in steals and uses his high motor and speed to turn defense to offense, with quick transition plays being an key factor for the Ivorian side. In a spectacular performance against the Tunisian Giants and former BAL Champions, US Monastir, Harouna recorded 33 points as the ABC Fighters stunned the Tunisian in a 90-74 upset. Although The ABC Fighters fell short of winning the BAL title, they showed what can be done with a completely African roster and the wealth of Elite talent that exists in the continent.

Ibrahima Thomas (US Monastir)

Ibrahima Thomas is far from what one would usually expect a center to be. The Senegalese big man played for AS Police in the inaugural season of the BAL and joined US Monastir this season. At 6’11, Thomas’ defensive presence is undeniable with him leading the Tunisian side with 7 rebounds per game, during conference play. He is also a huge contributor on the offensive end with his ability to space the floor, use his footwork to create separation for his signature turnaround jumper, as well as shoot the ball from beyond the arc, which he shot at an impressive 46.4%. Although they finished with a 3-2 record which left them in a 5-way tie which later saw them get eliminated, Thomas showed his versatility and is testament to the fact that the style of play for the big man is evolving and they can no longer be boxed into the paint.

Jean-Jacques Boissy (AS Douanes)

Jean-Jacques Boissy and AS Douanes had themselves set on one goal: end Senegal’s National Mens team’s 26 year title drought by bringing a trophy back home. The 23 year old was the starting point guard for the Senegalese side during conference play, with his breakout performance coming against the Tunisian Giants, US Monastir. He recorded a double-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists in a 76-60 win which sent the former BAL Champions home. Boissy has a nice midrange shot but is not limited to it, as he can shoot from range, or take it to the hole. Playing with the likes of Chris Crawford and Terrell Stoglin, The NBA Academy alumni is still able to hold his own and control the tempo and pace of the game. As Douanes fell to Al Ahly in the finals but Boissy definitely put on a performance this season that cannot be ignored, this includes All-Defensive Team honours.

Nile Conference:

Anunwa Omot (Al Ahly)

Anuna (Nuni) Omot was one of the standouts for the Egyptian champions in their BAL campaign. The South Sudanese player whose impact on the BAL debutants is undeniable, with his ability to impact play on both ends of the floor not only in the paint but also in the perimeter. At 6’9 Omot has a good handle on the ball for a man of his stature and uses this to facilitate shots for his teammates. Ever the sharpshooter, Omot is able to elevate and knock down shots from the midrange and from the three too, leading Al Ahly in scoring. His defensive presence helped the Egyptian Giants to control the defensive glass, alter key shots as well as slow down their opponents’ offense in stretches of play where they made a run. He averaged 19.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks during conference play.

With the Egyptian Giants eventually winning the coveted 2023 BAL Championship, Nuni Omot put on an exemplary 22 point performance and went home with the Hakeem Olujawon MVP Trophy.

Carlos Edilson Alcântara Morais (Petro de Luanda)

Carlos Morais’ performance during the Nile conference showed why he is one of the most recognizable Basketball players on the continent. The Angolan veteran had an absolutely dominating performance in the final day of conference play against Al Ahly, recording 34 points, shooting 8-12 from 3, sealing Petro’s undefeated record heading into the playoffs. Ever the prolific scorer, Morais led the league with 19 3pointers made for the 3rd instalment of The BAL regular season. An interesting storyline during the games was the fact that Morais played against Dwayne Wade in the 2008 Olympics and then went to Head-to-Head with Wade’s son, Zaire Wade of the Cape Town Tigers, during the games where Petro held the South African side to only 48 points.

Makhtar Gueye (Ferroviario de Beira)

Makhtar Gueye was an integral part of the Mozambiquan side’s frontcourt playing as their starting center. The forward from Senegal plays well off the pick and roll, which is a constant in the Mozambiquan side’s offense. Gueye’s athleticism makes him a threat in transition as he can throw it down like the best of them while also being able to finish with the glass with his soft touch. He had his breakout performance against SLAC where he recorded 15 points and grabbed 8 rebounds to help secure the win. Gueye is quite crafty and uses his handle to blow past defenders on the baseline for a nice reverse finish off the glass or two-handed slam. The Mozambiquan side played with tremendous heart to finish third in the Nile conference, despite losing their first two games against Al Ahly and Petro De Luanda. They unfortunately suffered elimination in the quarter-finals.

Samkelo Cele (Cape Town Tigers)

Samkelo Cele was definitely the standout for the Tigers. In the final day of conference play against Uganda’s City Oilers, where a number of the team’s core players were side-lined due to injury, the 25-year-old from Durban gave a dominant 28-point, 8-rebound performance to help secure the Tigers’ playoff spot and even earned high praises from future Hall of Famer Dwayne Wade. His hunger, high motor, athleticism, and variety of offensive skills make him extremely valuable, as he affects play on both ends of the court. In stretches where the Tigers struggled to convert on offense, Cele gave them a much-needed boost in the midrange as well as with attacking the rim. His hustle on defense helped him intercept passing lanes for a quick steal and created much needed opportunities for the Cape Town side in transition. This defensive prowess got him named to the 2023 BAL All-Defensive Team.

The exemplary performance of these players has shown that basketball culture on the continent is something to be reckoned with. The game has grown in leaps and bounds and this growth is enough to sustain a league that is home to some of the greatest African talent that the continent has to offer while also giving a stage for world-class athletes to compete at an elite level. Although the season is over, there is already a lingering buzz from all the beautiful moments that sports fans & enthusiasts got to be a part of live in the various arenas and on their TVs at home. There is an excitement in the air about what lies ahead for basketball on the African continent