Up for grabs - Who will play in the 2024 AWBL Qualifiers?

ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - FIBA Africa’s premier women’s club competition, the Africa Women’s Basketball League (AWBL) second edition will be played later in the year with teams keen to claim the title won by Egypt's Alexandria Sporting Club (ASC) in the inaugural 2023 edition.

(Editor's note - In its first meeting for the 2023-2027 term, FIBA Africa Central Board approved a resolution that rebrands the AWBL to Women's Basketball Champions League Africa (WBCLA).

Eight countries, namely Angola, Benin, Cameroon, DR Congo, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Rwanda, were represented in the first edition with Cameroon and Kenya having two teams each. 

Three teams, Overdose Up Station, ASPAC, and Universite de Douala made their maiden appearance at a continental competition, while Nigeria Customs returned to a FIBA competition for the first time in 26 years.

With the second edition expected to be more competitive than the first as teams battle for honours,  FIBA.basketball takes a look at some of the teams that earned the right to represented their countries at the 2024 AWBL Qualifiers. FIBA Africa will soon announce the scheduled for 2024 AWBL Qualifiers 

Holders ASC fell to Al Ahly SC, who were crowned 2023-24. The Egyptian champions will look to walk in the footsteps of their predecessor and lift the title after finishing third in the 2019 edition of the AWBL's predecessor. Al Ahly SC opted out of the 2023 AWBL edition. 

Al Ahly SC beat ASC 88-65 in the Third-Place Game of the 2019 FIBA Africa Champions Cup Women in Cairo

Should Alexandria Sporting Club choose to defend their title, they will hope to continue their good show, one that has lasted for several seasons. The then-Egyptian champions, who won the last edition of the Africa Champions Cup for Women (ACCW) in 2022 before it was rebranded as AWBL brought the same dominance to the new competition, averaging 103 points per game to lift the first ever title. 

The Alexandria-based side produced the inaugural edition’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in Cierra Dillard with skipper Hagar Amer named in the team of the tournament alongside Rwanda Energy Group’s Destiny Philoxy, and Kenya Port Authority (KPA) duo of Victoria Reynolds and Madina Okot.

Meanwhile, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), who made their first continental semis in the AWBL last year, going on to win silver, are favourites from Kenya.

 KPA

They, however, have a tough task against Rwandese and Ugandan sides, among others, in the Zone 5 Qualifiers.

The Antony Ojukwu-coached dockers are through to the 2024 Kenyan League playoff semis, and are expected to dominate with their toughest competition coming from Zetech Sparks and Equity Hawks.

Sparks missed the last AWBL qualifiers, citing financial constraints and their place was taken by Hawks who landed a wild card to the continental event after finishing third in Zone 5 Qualifiers. The three sides are jostling for a place in this year’s Qualifiers.

From Angola, the threat is posed by AWBL reigning bronze medalists Inter Clube who boasted Mozambican star Ingvild Mucauro and American-Angolan Italee Lucas at the inaugural AWBL.

Inter Clube defeated Primeir de Agosto, a fortnight ago, to lift the title and book their place in the AWBL Qualifiers.

The runners-up, Primeiro de Agosto, a military-sponsored side that has won AWBL’s predecessor, the Africa Champions Cup Women, thrice, finishing in second place on seven different occasions, is also a prospect.

Elsewhere, Rwanda Energy Group (REG), who had roped in WNBA talent in guards Nia Clouden and Tiffany Mitchell as well as Philoxy, will hope to do enough in the ongoing local league and during the qualifiers for a place in the continental competition.

Additionally, Mozambique, not represented in the inaugural AWBL edition, has two teams that cannot be ignored; Costa do Sol and Ferroviário de Maputo, silver and bronze medalists in the last edition of the Cup competition in 2022 before rebranding.  The runners-up withdrew from last year’s qualifiers in Angola citing financial constraints.  

Other teams expected to grace the AWBL Qualifiers include Morocco’s Majd Tanger who clinched the Moroccan Cup title 2023/24 by overcoming KAC Marrakech 63-54. Both teams will face off the 2024 Morocco League Final with the winner advancing to the AWBL Qualifiers. Cameroon’s FAP clinched the 2024 title as they won the Final-Four campaign undefeated.

FIBA