This evening at the BK Arena, President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame joined thousands of fans for the the 2024 BAL(Basketball Africa League) season, also known as BAL Season 4 or BAL4 final game that saw Petro de Luanda of Angola crowned champion of the 4th edition of the Basketball Africa League with 107 points while Al Ahly Ly of Libya took the second place with 94 points.
Angola’s Petro de Luanda today defeated Libya’s Al Ahly Ly 107–94 to win the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Championship, which took place at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda and reached fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages. Petro de Luanda, the 2022 BAL runner–up and one of two teams to have participated in all four BAL seasons, is the first sub–Saharan African team to win the BAL Finals after previous champions from Egypt and Tunisia.
Following the game, BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall and President of FIBA Africa Anibal Manave presented Petro de Luanda with the BAL Championship Trophy and Al Ahly Ly forward Jo Lual–Acuil Jr. with The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy for winning the 2024 BAL Most Valuable Player Award and The Dikembe Mutombo Trophy for winning 2024 BAL Defensive Player of the Year.
Petro de Luanda went 5–2 during the Kalahari Conference group phase in Pretoria, South Africa, and the Playoffs, defeating Senegal’s AS Douanes and South Africa’s Cape Town Tigers in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, to advance to the Finals. Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers defeated the Cape Town Tigers 80–57 in the third–place game yesterday.
Lual–Acuil Jr. is also the 2024 BAL Scoring Champion and was named to the 2024 All–BAL First Team and All–BAL Defensive Team after leading Al Ahly Ly to a 5–4 record during the Nile Conference group phase in Cairo, Egypt, and the Playoffs, recording per game averages of 21.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.
Several former NBA players attended games throughout the 2024 BAL Playoffs and Finals, including BAL Ambassadors and NBA Africa investors Luol Deng (South Sudan), Ian Mahinmi (France; ties to Benin) and Joakim Noah (grandfather from Cameroon); 2015 NBA champion Festus Ezeli (Nigeria), and New York Knicks President of G League Operations Pops Mensah–Bonsu (Ghana).
The BAL has also announced the 2024 Coach of the Year, Sportsmanship Award winner, All–BAL First Team, All–BAL Defensive Team, and Ubuntu Award winner. The voting panels varied for each award and were composed of fans, coaches, team captains, media, broadcasters, and scouts.
2024 BAL Coach of the Year
Rivers Hoopers head coach Odaudu Ogoh led his team to a third–place finish with a 6–3 record during the Sahara Conference group phase in Dakar, Senegal, and the Playoffs.
2024 BAL Sportsmanship Award
Rivers Hoopers point guard Will Perry received The Manute Bol Trophy for exemplifying the ideals of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Perry was also named to the 2024 All–BAL First Team.
The Basketball Africa League is the premier men’s basketball league in Africa. Founded in 2019, the organization was established by both the National Basketball Association(NBA) and International Basketball Federation. (End)