NAIROBI (Kenya) - Road to BAL East Division Elite 16 gets underway at Nyayo Gymnasium on Thursday 24 November with four matches on the cards in the opening two days before action moves to Kasarani Indoor Arena for the remaining part of the eight-team competition.
With two slots up for grabs the six-day competition is expected to offer some edge-of-the-seat encounters as all but one team chase a maiden Basketball Africa League (BAL) appearance. Only Uganda's City Oilers have qualified for the premier African club competition.
MEET THE TEAMS
Group A, headlined by hosts Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) also has Malawi's Bravehearts, Cape Verde's Kriol Star who landed a wild card from FIBA and South Africa's MBB Blue Soldiers.
Group B has pitted BAL participants City Oilers against Burundi's Urunani, Matero Magic of Zambia and South Sudan's Fox Basketball, another wild card beneficiary.
REMATCHES
The group will see the Zambians renew rivalry with Fox, having faced off in the Group Phase while Urunani and City Oilers revisit their Elite 16 Semis encounter from two years ago where the latter carried the day to qualify for the first time.
SECOND CHANCE FOR KRIOLs
Cape Verde's Kriol Stars open action in Nairobi against Malawi's Bravehearts at 12:30 pm (9:30GMT).
Stars played in a three-team Group Phase competition, falling to Al Ahly Tripoli and Stade Malien. The wild card gives them a second chance to fight for a place in the BAL on their first time of asking.
"We are a very young squad but with some of the best Cape Verde talents and our biggest resolve is to put the country's basketball on the map. It is a great opportunity to showcase what we have on a much bigger stage with more teams as this gets us an opportunity to regroup incase of any slip ups," Joel Almeida who leads the team charge told FIBA.basketball.
BRAVEHEARTS
On their part, Malawian champions are hoping to have a better start to their competition than they did in the Group Phase in Zimbabwe where they started with an eight-man squad, losing the opening two matches but regrouped to win the next two over Fox of South Sudan and Mozambique's Costa do Sol, lighting the way to a debut on this stage.
MBB
Newly-crowned South African champions MBB Blue Soldiers take a spot Cape Town Tigers have held since 2022 as they look to make it to the 12-team BAL competition whose final playoffs will be on their backyard. They open their campaign against home side NCT, the two sides making their debut at this stage.
THUNDER
Banking on home court advantage and a loyal fan base keen to cheer them to history, NCT who finished second in the Group Phase matches held in Kibaha, Tanzania have made some key signings ahead of the competition and believe they have what it takes to achieve this feat in their first time of asking.
"We have had more time together as a squad since Kibaha and I believe are ready to take on any opposition. We know it is a process to qualification and we are trusting ourselves to surmount the pressure and reach our goal," veteran Ariel Okall said.
GROUP OF DEATH
Meanwhile, Group B, that many have described the group of death will have Uganda's Oilers open their campaign against South Sudan's Fox Basketball. Head coach Andrew Tendo is hoping to guide the side to their third BAL.
"We have had good preparations leading to the games. It was really intense for the last one month and we hope that pays off. This is the second time playing on this stage and I believe that experience will come in handy. I really want to be back on the BAL stage and have a better experience while also helping the club reach the playoffs," Israel Otobo, who turned out for Burundi's Dynamo last year, said.
On their part, Fox who are under Bright Stars assistant coach Ajou Deng and have brought in three new faces from the squad that did duty in the Group Phase are taking their second chance as a blessing and the start of a beautiful qualifying campaign.
"It is exciting to be playing with a home team. A lot of people are watching and want to see our club basketball dominate the BAL like we did with the national team. We feel like everything happens for a reason and now that we have a second chance to qualify we want to make a beautiful story out of it and qualify. Obviously it is going to be tough as there are many good teams here but we are excited," Dhieu Abwok Deing who has played in both Road to BAL and the competition itself for different outfits and is expected to lead the side's offense, offered.
Group B is completed by Zambia's Matero Magic and Urunani, the two sides that won the Group D and E East Division qualifiers and as fate would have it they meet on the opening day.
The Zambian champions have Saul Phiri pushing their qualification agenda, in his second stint with the club in this competition. Last year he featured for JNBC of Zimbabwe
"We are coming here with a different mindset. The first time was an eye-opening experience and a big wake-up call as the competition is amazing at this level. We had a great first round, going 5-0 and will look to build on this momentum here. We had some close calls in the previous stage but we are more prepared to do better, having had time to adjust. It is a tough group but we are looking forward to it," Phiri offered.
URUNANI
On their part, Urunani who have made a last-minute adjustment, bringing in Senegalese Abdoulaye Ndoye, the block leader from the 2024 BAL, as they look to strengthen their defense are also hoping to carry their unbeaten run from the Group Phase to the Elite 16.
"I have played with a few of the players in Senegal and for Cape Town and that helps me settle. They are ready to make history and that is what I get to help them do. Mine is a defensive role and I am ready to do what I do to help the team win and make history," Ndoye told FIBA.basketball.
FIBA