PRAIA (Cape Verde)- Kriol Star are on a first-of-many run for their country's basketball, the first side from the Island nation to compete in the Road to BAL.
Their journey could have ended in the Group Phase but a second opportunity has presented itself through a wild card and are eager to make the best of it.
HOW THEY QUALIFIED FOR ROAD TO BAL
Kriol Star play in the Capeverdean Basketball League (CBL) and, in their first season in the league that has now played for three seasons, they carried the day to become the first team from the country to play in the Road to BAL.
HOW THEY QUALIFIED FOR THE ELITE 16
A 100-77 loss to eventual winners Al Ahly Tripoli coupled with a close 81-76 loss to another BAL-bound side Stade Malien in the West Division Group Phase competition hosted in Libya saw them eliminated but the wild card granted them a lifeline.
KEY PLAYERS IN THE GROUP PHASE
Moroccan guard Ali Lahrichi and Rwandese sensation Dieudonne Ndayisaba Ndizeye led the charge for the Islanders in Libya, the latter averaging 12.5 points per game, 6.5 rebounds and 2 assists while the former led the side in assists with 10.5. De Angelo William Stewart led the boards game with 7 per game while scoring 11.5.
Lahrichi and Ndizeye made names for themselves in last year's FIBA AfroCan with their respective national teams, the former leading Morocco to the title while Rwanda made history with a first-ever podium finish with Ndizeye at the heart of the performance to make the team of the tournament. The duo's impact for Hugo Miguel Da Silva Salgado's charges was evident.
NATIONAL TEAM PLAYERS
Cape Verde basketball sweetheart Joel Almeida and Michael Kenneti Mendes, who joins the side for the Elite 16, lead the list for the Islanders while their foreign imports Lahrichi and Ndizeye also key players for their national teams.
YEAR OF CREATION AND OWNERSHIP
Established in 2024 by the two professional players and brothers Joel and Ivan Almeida through the Kriol Star Foundation, the side is part of an eight-team local league.
Joel, currently captaining the team in their run, and, Ivan, who featured for Al Ahly Tripoli in the Group Phase, birthed the idea from a foundation they run in Cape Verde, creating a team that brought together the best of Cape Verde talent for this mission.
According to Joel, reaching BAL on their first time of asking would be a dream come true. However, the shooting guard acknowledges that the Elite 16 is a huge achievement for their side.
HEAD COACH
Portuguese Hugo Miguel Da Silva Salgado, who has coached Galito Basket in Portugal's topflight is the man at the helm of the Cape Verdean champions.
Coach Salgado got a baptism by fire on his African coaching debut with Kriol in the Group Phase as all his experience has been in Europe, coaching in Portugal, Iceland, Norway and Czech Republic.
The tactician agrees that it is a different basketball from what he is used to in Europe, in terms of game style, kind of players, refereeing and organisation on the court but says his resolve is to put Kriol Star on the African map.
With the quick turnaround after receiving their wild card, Salgado says they will fight, despite having just nine players on their roster for the competition, believing consistency will be key for them.
WHERE THEY PLAY HOME GAMES
Gimno Desportive a 7000-seater Arena in Praia hosts the side's matches.
FIBA