Bangui have unfinished business in the Elite 16
In the build-up to the West Division Elite 16 billed for Yaounde between 31 October until November 5, Bangui look as eager as never before to try to capitalise from past mistakes and fight a BAL slot.
YAOUNDE (Cameroon) - There is a sense of unfinished business within the Bangui Sporting Club camp as they chase their first-ever appearance in the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Last year, the Central African Republic champions did everything right in their first five games (5-0) of the Road to BAL, which included a 72-67 win over ABC Fighters, but beating SLAC in the Semi-Finals and Stade Malien in the Third-Place Game of the Elite 16 held in Abidjan proved mission impossible.
And, as a result, Bangui's BAL dream ended in disappointment.
Bangui Sporting Club lost their last two of the 2022 Elite 16
Things look promising this time round, though.
And, in the build-up to the West Division Elite 16 billed for Yaounde between 31 October until November 5, Bangui look as eager as never before to try to capitalise from previous mistakes and fight for one of the three tickets available for for the BAL 2024.
Bangui had a slow and bumpy start to the Road to BAL earlier this months, after, surprisingly losing to Espoir Basket of Gabon, but they bounced back with two straight wins against BC Virunga and Forces Armees et Police (FAP) to win Group B.
Alex Higgins-Titsha averaged 16 points and a team-high 8.7 rebounds per game in the preliminary round of the Road to BAL
In terms of personnel and coaching staff, Bangui boast sufficient experience and quality to go toe-to-toe against ABC Fighters, FUS Rabat and SLAC for a chance to advance to the Semi-Finals, and beyond.
Central African Republic international players Evans Ganampamo, Max Kouguere, Jimmy Djimrabaye represent the core of the team, which can count on Australian Alex Higgins-Titsha, American Bijan Johnson and DR Congo's Rolly Fula to keep Bangui Sporting's BAL dream alive.
Those are all seasoned and experienced players who feel a sense of unfinished business unless they make it to BAL 2024 season.
The team is coached by two-time BAL quarterfinalist Liz Mills, who has Ulrich Marida and Jeff Sparrow as her assistant coaches.
Bangui partnered with FAP as co-hosts of the Elite 16 in the Cameroonian capital, but that's where their similarities end as only three teams can make it to the BAL regular season and the West Division Elite 16 looks anyone's game.
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Bangui made it to the Road to BAL after beating Newtech Bantou Club in a two-leg Final to win the National Championship title.
The Bangui-based team Club was founded in 2017 with former Central African Republic international player Cyrille Damango at the forefront of the formation of the club from the reminder of GIBA-BACGS Sports Association.
FIBA