ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) – It is all systems go as the stage is set for the qualification to the fifth edition of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
With the Road to BAL 2025 set to tip off next week October, find here the latest news in the run-up to the qualifier.
Urunani tops Dynamo to win the 2024 Burundian League title
Two familiar teams clashed for the supremacy of the 2024 Burundian League title. In the end, Urunani came up on top, edging out Dynamo in Game 7 of the Playoffs.
Urunani BBC will make a return to the show after they shut out last year’s representative Dynamo BC 80-75 in a tight Burundi Playoffs finals that went to a deciding game seven.
Senegalese Jean Jacques Boissy starred with a 30-point outage.
Urunani returns to the Road to BAL for the second time, having finished third in the 2022 East Division Elite 16 round in South Africa.
Road to BAL 2025 set to tip off in Libya
The race for the continents premier club competition is slated to start on October 8-13 as Tripoli, Libya play host to the West Division.
Teams that are expected to battle it out in the Division West include hosts Al Ahly Tripoli (Libya), Abidjan Basketball Club Fighters (ABC) of Cote d'Ivoire, Stade Malien (Mali), Elan Coton (Benin), Spintex Knights Sporting (Ghana), Mighty Barolle (Liberia) and Kriol Star (Cape Verde).
East Division returns to Dar es Salaam
A week after the start of the Road to BAL 2025, it moves to the East Division with matches scheduled to take place in the Tanzanian Port City of Dar Es Salaam.
The East Division will run from October 15-20.
Teams expected to compete in Dar es Salaam include Nairobi City Thunder (Kenya), GNBC (Madagascar), Unshindizi (Comoros), Hawassa City (Ethiopia), Beau Vallon Heat (Seychelles) and Urunani (Burundi).
Host club Jeshi La Kujenga Taifa (JKT) beat Army Basketball Club (ABC) in the national finals held in Chinangali Park in Dodoma Region. It will be their second stab in the competition and hope to emulate the exploits of Pazi BC last year.
Harare to co-host East Division
Other East Division matches will place in Harare, Zimbabwe from October 22-27.
Teams expected to compete in the Zimbabwean capital include Clube Desportivo Costa do Sol (Mozambique), Bravehearts Basketball (Malawi), Matero Magic (Zambia) and Basket Hounds (Zimbabwe).
Recruiting underway
From North to South, East to West, teams are going for top players from across the continent and beyond because they know all too well that this is their only hope to enhance their chances in the competition against the very best.
Stiff competition for a place in BAL Season 5
While the fourth edition of the BAL was arguably the most balanced and competitive since its inception, the upcoming one has all the ingredients to prove just as appetizing.
The levels of the competition in the tournament has always been top notch and that is why all participants are already making eye catching signings as the focus remains the podium finish.
Roundup of domestic leagues
Nairobi City Thunder have shown their intentions of becoming their first Kenyan club to succeed where giants Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Ulinzi Warriors failed by progressing to the final phase of the competition.
The sensational Thunder, the first team to claim the national title without losing a game, have brought home two Morans stars in Tylor Ongwae and Derick Ogechi and also added another Eugene Adera to their roster.
The team also included in their stable, a trio of international players led by William Sidney Davis II, Michel Diogoye Diouf of Senegal and Nigerian Uchenna Iroegbu .
The only team to win the Kenyan national title unbeaten remains convinced that these key signings will help elevate Thunder up the continental ladder.
In Uganda, Petty Parish was huge as City Oilers wrapped up their 10th consecutive national title in a row as they stopped Kampala International University (KIU) Titans 4-0.
Who among these clubs will successfully navigate the waters of the Elite 16 and join the champions of Angola, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Tunisia who have earned direct tickets to the BAL regular season? Time will tell.
APR return for second straight BAL season
APR BC will be going for their second BAL outing after they shut out fierce rivals Patriots 73-70 in Game 6 of the best-of-seven series.
They rode on the shoulders of MVP Isaiah Miller and Malian Center Aliou Diarra for a 4-2 edge to retain the Rwanda league crown. It is their 15th national title.
FIBA