Africa’s best set for 2023 BAL playoffs in Kigali

The 2023 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Playoffs will tip off on Saturday, May 20 at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.

This will be the third edition of the BAL and the finals are set for Saturday, May 27.  

The top eight teams from the league’s Sahara and Nile Conference group phases in Dakar, Senegal, and Cairo, Egypt, respectively, will compete in a single-elimination tournament with the winner crowned the third BAL champion.

The BAL playoffs will provide some intriguing fixtures from several high-profile teams starting on Saturday, May 20, 2023.

It starts with the quarterfinals which will feature Stade Malien of Mali with a 3-2 record taking on Cape Town Tigers of South Africa owned by Nigerian-born, Ghana-based singer Oluwatosin Ajibade known as Mr. Eazi with a 2-3 record.

Reigning Egyptian champions Al Ahly with a 4-1 record takes on Rwanda Energy Group with a 3-2 record.

The quarterfinals will continue on Sunday, May 21 when AS Douanes of Senegal with a 3-2 record take on Mozambique champions Clube Ferroviário da Beira with a 2-3 record.

It will be followed by Club Atlético Petróleos de Luanda of Angola unbeaten with a 5-0 record taking on Côte d’Ivoire champions Abidjan Basketball Club (ABC Fighters) with a 3-2 record.

The BAL continues to grow and expand basketball on the African continent with US Monastir set to be replaced as champions.