African Basketball

Sekka set the bar high in African hoops

Leave a Comment

NOT many athletes’ careers span two decades or even close in on a third (decade), and fewer are laden with success during that time. So when the name Radhouane Slimane or Sekka is mentioned in conversations by African basketball aficionados, you have to take notice, as it’s a name that illuminates success.

When Sekka recently sounded the buzzer on his career, it was the ending of a storied playing career of an African legend, whose career is worthy of possibly being inducted into the FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame.

It was also a realisation. A golden age in African basketball had come to an end, and Slimane was one of that era’s representatives. He was the consummate stretch four, always steady, making the simple plays look flashy and an exceptional leader.

In his performances in the opening season (2021) of the BAL in the colours of US Monastir, already 40, Slimane put up an impressive 10.3 points and 2.3 rebounds. And in that first season in a group game against Madagascar’s GNBC in a fast-break move, he showed he could still get up and throw down.

Radhouane Slimane
Radhouane Slimane won three AfroBasket titles with Tunisia. Pictures: FIBA Africa

Until the age of 45, when most of his age mates had long called it a day, the smooth-moving Slimane kept going, blocking out the noise when asked how long he sees himself running up the hardwood.

In an interview with The Big Tip Off, he told this journalist that “love for the game” kept him wanting to sweat it out on the court.

“It’s for the love of the game, a love of the game. I am healthy and enjoying the game. I have sacrificed for this game and if I have more years to give, then I will give them,” he said ahead of Season 5 of the BAL.

He’s set foot on some of the greatest basketball stages, including the FIBA World Cup and the AfroBasket, which brought Tunisia titles, with Slimane and his generation leading the North African nation to its entire continental trophy haul.

Before the 2021 title victory, Sekka, then 41, wanted to go out with a bang as he sensed, and before the tournament, spoke with clarity in an interview with FIBA Africa that the end was near for him and some of his teammates.

“This year must be the last chance for my generation to win one more African championship. Players like myself, Salah (Mejri), (Mohamed) Hadidane, (Omar) Mouhli might retire from the national team after Kigali,” said Slimane.

Radhouane Slimane or Sekka 2026 US Monastir
Radhouane Slimane has had a trophy-laden career with US Monastir, including winning the BAL title in 2022.

Having built a career resume of success with the national team, with US Monastir on the continent and in the Tunisian and Iraqi domestic scenes, Slimane should be satisfied with his career, but as he told Al Jazeera before the 2021 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, he wondered how far he could have gone had his talent got proper exposure.

“A lot of agents and a lot of coaches told me I would easily play in the NBA, but the media (coverage) here in Tunisia (is close to) zero,” said Slimane at the time.

Yes, a player, despite enjoying many successes, can always ask themselves what if about their careers. But as fans of the African game, it’s safe to say we appreciate his greatness and his role in setting a high bar in African basketball.

The legend has bowed out, but the memories he’s left us with are eternal.

Sekka set the bar high in African hoops Read More »

Swanepoel banks on basketball to open new doors

Leave a Comment

FROM the moment Marlou Swanepoel picked up a basketball in 2020, it was love at first bounce, and when he started high school, he was already clear in his mind that whichever school he went to, it had to have his newfound love.

The Pretoria Boys High School pupil and DUEP player has big dreams, has already tasted success in his young career, and feels those wins are signs that basketball has a lot more to offer. Having won the MVP title at the recent Africa Hoops Grassroots Youth Classic Tournament, Swanepoel, who is from South Africa’s Gauteng province, hopes performing on the court and achieving good grades will help him realise his dreams.

“I think it’s vital. It’s really good. Finishing matric, getting this exposure, it’s really helpful for a person who wants to take basketball seriously and go overseas with it… Getting this recognition really helps. It gets my profile out there, and they see who I am as a basketball player and a person,” said Swanepoel, who took up basketball during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After getting hooked on hoops, he traded in his goalkeeping gloves for a basketball, and he has not looked back. And when he started High School, the preferred institution had to, of course, have basketball.

“I started to develop my love for basketball during COVID at home in 2020 when I had nothing to do. We had a hoop at home, and I started playing in our driveway, and it grew on me,” said Swanepoel. “I wanted to go to a school that has basketball, and my parents would always tease me that they would send me to boarding school when I was naughty at home.

“I started looking into it and realised boarding school was not so bad. We applied at Boys High, I got into boarding school there and continued playing basketball at grade eight, and in grade nine I made it to the U15 provincial team (in 2024), and I was captain of the team. That’s when I knew I had a future in the sport.”

Marloe Swanepoel 2026 Africa Grassroots Basketball
Marloe Swanepoel has enjoyed team and individual success on the court. Pictures: DUEP

He has already begun the process of fulfilling his ambition of pursuing basketball and education abroad.

“We are currently working with BRUSA; they are helping us to get in contact with colleges in the US. We are also looking at gap year programs to help me develop academically and athletically. Even if I can enter college without a gap year programme, that would be great,” said Swanepoel.

While Swanepoel harbours big dreams, he knows a lot of work lies ahead to reach them. This being his final year of school, how does he manage a hectic academic schedule that includes exams and a playing schedule?

“It’s about having a balance of everything. It’s something I am used to. I have always been busy with sports and school,” said Swanepoel. Having started soccer before playing basketball, I have always been busy athletically, while having academic pressure.”

He credits being a boarder at Boys’ High for giving him the discipline he needs to stay on track academically.

“I think staying at hostel also helps, where there is an allocated time to study. So I don’t have the option of shying away from studying. So it’s about having a good balance of everything… Going to your practices, getting that out of the way and getting back to hostel, focusing on academics and doing what needs to be done. Obviously, academics have a big impact on college applications and marks do matter,” said Swanepoel.

Marloe Swanepoel African Grassroots Youth Hoops Classic 2026
Marloe Swanepoel will be part of DUEP’s quest for the national title.

He reflected on the Africa Grassroots Hoops Youth Classic Basketball Tournament in Cape Town, where his feats led the Durban-based DUEP club to the championship and he landed the MVP crown.

“It was an honour to be named MVP with all the talent and skill at the tournament. There were a lot of really good players at the tournament. The team… We performed really well. It was our first tournament together, and we went undefeated in the tournament was good for us,” said Swanepoel. “It showed all the talent and skill we had. We came together as one even though we did not have a lot of chemistry. Our skills and talent really helped us.”

His abilities have not gone unnoticed within the DUEP structures, as he has since graduated to the senior team, and he will be part of the KwaZulu-Natal team’s challenge at the 2026 National Club Championships. The championships, scheduled for late August, will serve as qualifiers for the Road to BAL.

Swanepoel banks on basketball to open new doors Read More »

Kra reflects on marathon season with the Kings

Leave a Comment

JCA Kings are living up to the latter part of their name after yet another dominant season. The Kings retained two of their domestic crowns this season and added another (the Super Cup), reaffirming their basketball dominance in Côte d’Ivoire for another year.

A player who has led from the front in what is a golden two years for JCA is veteran player Ulrich Kra, whose career is laden with success. He says this demanded a lot from the team, as domestic and continental campaigns needed Kra and his teammates to be at their sharpest.

Balancing domestic and continental ambition

The “long season”, as described by Kra, proved successful for him and JCA as they retained the Ligue d’Or title they won last season and the national cup. Kra says the key element of their Ligue d’Or title defence in June was the quality of the squad, with experienced players like Christopher Crawford and national team teammate Jonathan Cisse helping carry the team. He also detailed how the domestic and continental commitments exacted a physical toll on the team.

“I’m proud of winning this title. It was back-to-back, and secondly, it was a long season. A long, long season,” said Kra, nine-time league champion. “Last year, we went to the Road to BAL in Abidjan and then the Elite 16 in Praia. We then came back home for the new season, and then had to travel to Rabat for the BAL.

Ulrich Kra 2026 JCA Kings
Ulrich Kra and JCA had a longer-than-usual season. Pictures: FIBA Africa

“So it was a long, long season, and there were some small injuries, but at the end of the day, we got to the final against ABC, a really good team, but guys like Jonathan Cisse stepped up, and we kept our title.”

For any player, facing a former club in a final or finals, those moments can elicit certain feelings, and for Kra, who had enjoyed success with ABC, it was no different. Still, he and JCA found a way to stay on mission against a team entering the finals series with a perfect regular-season record.

“Of course, ABC were my last team before I came to JCA. So, I was a little nervous before the game because the previous season, we won the title against SOA. This time it was ABC, so we were very focused for the final. Our main goal was to fight till the end,” said Kra. “ABC won all their games. They were 22-0, so we had to fight, it was the only way. And it how we got the title.”

Lessons from the BAL

Just before their Ligue d’Or title defence, JCA made their BAL debut this year, and they endured a horrendous campaign, bowing out with a 0-5 record in the Sahara Conference. While the BAL was forgettable, the exposure to that level of competition set JCA up for unprecedented domestic success.

Kra, who was appearing for the second time in the BAL, concurs that competing against top-tier clubs from the continent jump-started their pursuit of a second league title.

“This season was long, as I said. We were in different competitions, the national cup, the league and the BAL. When you play a team like Club Africain, who have good players like Omar Abada and a club like Al Ahly of Egypt, you will return with big experience. We learnt from our mistakes over there, and when we came back for the league and cup. And we did our best in those competitions.”

Ulrich Kra in action for the JCA Kings
Ulrich Kra, centre, celebrates the Ligue d’Or title with his teammates.

Learning from a legend

Kra paid homage to his former teammate at ABC Fighters and his current JCA coach, Stephane Konate, who is decorated as a player and is turning the club into a force in Côte d’Ivoire.

“When you play for a team like JCA, and you have a coach like Stèphane Konatè, it’s a big chance for young players and me to succeed. We have a lot of confidence in him,” said Kra.

“He is like a father figure to me. When I was young, I watched him on TV. He brought me to ABC, and we played together for about nine seasons. I learnt everything from him.”

While he continues to learn from a mentor who has become a respected coach, Kra has led on the court and helped JCA achieve their unprecedented success. As captain of the team, how has Kra, the 2024-2025 Ligue d’Or MVP, taken to the leadership role in the last two seasons?

“In Africa, it’s hard to defend your title. So when you get to training, you have to work hard every morning and every night. As the captain, I always try to do my best in training. To motivate the young players to give all they can and play with good energy and fighting spirit to win games or a final,” said Kra.

JCA will return to the Road to BAL, and Kra, who has played in five of the continental qualifiers, looks forward to the upcoming challenge.

“We did a good job (at last year’s Road to BAL), but we fell short at the BAL. So some work still has to be done. We have to try to get the best import players and do our best to get back to the BAL,” said Kra.

Ulrich Kra Cote d'Ivoire 2027 FIBA World Cup Africa Qualifiers
Ulrich Kra and the Elephants know the road will be more difficult in the next round of the FIBA World Cup Africa Qualifiers.

World Cup ambitions

The continued success of JCA has seen Kra earn a recall to the national team after last competing for the Elephants at the 2023 AfroCan. During the 2027 FIBA World Cup Africa Qualifiers, Kra averaged 6.2 points and 1.2 rebounds as the Ivorians, who were in Group B with Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Madagascar, progressed with a 5-1 record to the next round (in Group F), where they will face Mali, Angola and Egypt. Joining them in Group F are also the DRC and Senegal. 

Having already faced Senegal and Congo in the earlier rounds, the Ivorians, who carry 11 points into the next round and a second-place ranking in the new group, face Angola, Egypt, and Mali. Despite his country’s solid positioning, Kra says they face a tough task. 

“I am very satisfied with our result on the last two windows. I think we did a good job getting to this position today… And we will have to make more of an effort against nations like Egypt, Angola and Mali because it will be more difficult,” said Kra. “Especially against Angola and Mali. For me, they are the two best teams on the continent at the moment. We will have to work even harder and represent our country to the best of our ability,” said Kra.

 

Kra reflects on marathon season with the Kings Read More »

Craig ready to spread his wings with Black Dragons

Leave a Comment

AFTER two seasons in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and a stint in Germany, Johannesburg centre David Craig has landed with the Vanta Black Dragons. The Big Tip Off takes a closer look at his journey and the expectations surrounding the 7-foot-3 South African ahead of the Asian Tournament.

Craig from Johannesburg has signed with the Vanta Black Dragons of Hong Kong, where he will compete in The Asian Tournament (TAT) and begin the next chapter in a professional journey that has already spanned three countries and two continents in just over a year.

Building his reputation in the BAL

What the Vanta Black Dragons are acquiring is far more than exceptional size. They are adding a player with a highly defined and valuable skill set built around the fundamentals of winning basketball.

His BAL journey began with Made By Ball (MBB) during Season 5, when he became the tallest player in league history.

David Craig Vanta Black Dragons
David Craig is heading east to further his playing career. Pictures: The BTO

He returned for Season 6 with the Johannesburg Giants, averaging six points and six rebounds in only 15 minutes per game while competing against top-calibre opposition. Reflecting on his time in the BAL, Craig says the experience was “very solid” in terms of his production and efficiency, but he believes he could have reached another level.

“I think there was still another level I could have gone to, but that’s also a symptom of playing for a losing team,” he says. “And when your team (Giants) doesn’t make the necessary adjustments it needs to, it’s a lot harder than it seems to then level up as an individual.”

Aiming to set the scene alight

Craig now joins a Vanta Black Dragons side that has quickly become one of Asia’s emerging basketball powers. Based in Hong Kong, the Dragons compete in The Asian Tournament, a premier continental competition that crowned them 2026 TAT Leg 1 champions in Chengdu.

Held annually from April through October, TAT features a unique multi-leg format hosted across some of Asia’s leading basketball cities, including Chengdu, Laizhou, Manila and Beijing.

The tournament brings together elite clubs and world-class players from the continent’s strongest professional leagues alongside distinguished international teams, with each leg culminating in knockout rounds and a championship final. Every event is streamed live on YouTube.

For Craig, the move represents a much-needed change of environment. “I’m just excited to be in a lot more organised and a lot more of an efficient style of play,” he says. “Playing with other imports and playing with other guys that have travelled the world and are seasoned professionals, as well as playing with the other local players who know and understand the game very well.”

David Craig Joburg Giants 2026
David Craig is ready to raise his game in Asia.

He is particularly encouraged by the technical quality of his new teammates. “I think fundamentally they are quite sound and can shoot the ball very well, because that’s generally speaking something that is fundamentally very important to the game in this part of the world. And so that’s going to be a breath of fresh air.”

Despite the frustrations of his recent BAL campaign, which saw the Giants go winless on home soil, Craig is looking ahead with optimism.

“I think all in all, though, I’m just happy to be able to spread my wings again,” he says. “I think it’s going to be a necessary refresh after a very frustrating time with the Giants.”

Eyes on the debut

Craig is set to join the Dragons from the third leg, scheduled for 20–26 July in Passi, Philippines.

Craig ready to spread his wings with Black Dragons Read More »

Can Africa’s team’s rise in Czechia

Leave a Comment

IN a couple of days, the African nations of Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire will head to Brno, Czechia, for the FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup (July 11–19). While Egypt are familiar with the tournament and will look to make inroads, Côte d’Ivoire are making a first appearance and will arrive in Eastern Europe as an unknown quantity.

Women’s Tournament: Brno, Czechia

Egypt — Group D

Egypt arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, last year carrying years of frustration and left as champions. The Pharaohs finally secured their first-ever FIBA U16 Women’s AfroBasket title in 2025 after six consecutive silver medals and numerous near misses.

Their 66–54 victory over Côte d’Ivoire in the final ended a long wait for gold and made them the first new champions since Mali’s dominant era began. They completed the tournament unbeaten with a perfect 6–0 record.

While Egypt has featured at the U17 Women’s World Cup before, this squad heads to Brno with a different level of belief and momentum. Their victory in Kigali also snapped Mali’s remarkable 30–1 record at the competition dating back to 2015, with Egypt once again proving capable of challenging the continent’s traditional powerhouse.

Fatma Abdella Egypt's U16 MVP AfroBasket
Fatma Abdella will pull the strings in Egypt’s offence at the U17 World Cup. Pictures: FIBA Africa

The young Pharaohs have been drawn into Group D alongside Italy, Canada and New Zealand. While Canada enters as the clear favourite in the group, Egypt will believe it can compete strongly against Italy and New Zealand if it maintains the same defensive discipline shown in Kigali.

Of all the African teams heading to the World Cup, Egypt arguably arrives with the strongest momentum.

Players to watch

Fatma Abdella was at the heart of Egypt’s success during the AfroBasket U16 tournament. The 15-year-old point guard controlled games with maturity beyond her years and was named MVP after leading the tournament in steals and finishing second in assists.

Jodi Abdalla also played a crucial role, particularly in the final, where her second-half scoring helped Egypt pull away from Côte d’Ivoire.

Alongside Zeina Amin, Egypt’s backcourt became one of the most balanced and disruptive units at the tournament.

Côte d’Ivoire — Group A

Côte d’Ivoire’s qualification for the U17 Women’s World Cup was built on resilience and steady growth throughout the AfroBasket tournament.

The Ivorians secured their best finish at the U16 Women’s AfroBasket, winning silver and earning themselves a maiden World Cup qualification in the process.

Their semi-final victory over eight-time champions Mali was among the tournament’s biggest surprises. Just days earlier, Côte d’Ivoire had suffered a heavy 65–38 defeat to the same opponents during the group stage, but they responded impressively to edge Mali 45–40 when it mattered most.

Their reward, however, is arguably the toughest group of any African side at the tournament. Côte d’Ivoire has been placed in Group A alongside Australia, Latvia, and defending champions USA.

For a debutant nation, it is an unforgiving draw. The USA and Australia remain among the strongest youth basketball programs in the world and have consistently dominated international competition at this level. However, the opportunity to compete against the world’s best could prove invaluable to the program’s long-term growth.

Jane Diomande U16 AfroBasket of Cote d'Ivoire.
Jane Diomande will hope to carry her U16 AfroBasket form into the U17 World Cup.

Players to watch

Jane Diomande established herself as Côte d’Ivoire’s primary offensive threat, averaging more than 15.2 points per game while also contributing heavily on defence.

Inside the paint, Emmanuela William dominated the glass and protected the rim consistently throughout the tournament, finishing among the competition leaders in rebounds (11.7) and blocks (4.3).

Tournament’s Historical Context

Historically, African teams have faced steep challenges at the U17 World Cup. No team has ever finished on the podium. Mali’s women’s program has come closest, with seven appearances and three 10th-place finishes.

Yet despite these realities, Africa’s progress is becoming increasingly visible. Côte d’Ivoire’s simultaneous qualification in both tournaments reflects growing investment in youth development.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s women arrive with genuine confidence after ending one of the longest dynasties in African youth basketball history.

A podium finish may still be unrealistic for Africa’s representatives, but the significance of these tournaments extends beyond medals and results.

Can Africa’s team’s rise in Czechia Read More »

Masiyano: A rising star in Malawi’s basketball scene

Leave a Comment

VINCENT Masiyano has been a burgeoning talent in his country’s basketball scene, and when you follow his progress, he looks to be on a path to fulfilling the promise of his abilities.

Masiyano, whose talents were partly nurtured and honed by the Brave Hearts, has already experienced career milestones. After joining the senior team in 2024, Masiyano, who is still in his teens, already has two BASMAL national titles to his name.

The 17-year-old had the privilege of suiting up for the six national champions at the Road to BAL, notching up a double-double (10 points and 10 rebounds) against Matero Magic in a final Elite 16 group game, which they lost 78-71.

Speaking to The Big Tip Off on Friday, a few days (Tuesday, 16 June) after winning the men’s U18 Soweto Uprising tournament final and being crowned MVP, Masiyano, who joined the club in 2021 from Likuni Clippers, reflected on Brave Hearts’ success in South Africa and the future.

“We trained for like two weeks for the tournament (Soweto Uprising), before I left with the senior team for Kenya. Coach said if we want to be recognised, we have to win this tournament. So one of the things we did was play good defence, and we made our shots… It feels great for us, it was our first international as a youth team, so we had to play good. We had to play good,” said Masiyano.

Masiyano Brave Hearts 2026
Vincent Masiyano was a standout player at the recent Soweto Uprising tournament. Pictures: The BTO

He gave a pointed answer on winning the tournament’s MVP accolade. “I was very excited to be part of the team, and I did not let my teammates down,” said Masiyano.

Having helped Brave Hearts clinch a historic sixth men’s club championship, he looks forward to having another Road to BAL run. Before discussing the upcoming Road to BAL, he spoke about the nerves he felt and what helped him settle in his first qualifiers for the Basketball Africa League.

“It felt great playing. I missed out two years ago because of my age, so it was great to be part of the team last year,” said Masiyano. “I felt scared because I was on the big stage, but Faad (Billy) told me, ‘Just free your mind, you will be good’. I did that, and it turned out good.”

Being one of the youngest players on the club, he looks to star guard Billy as an inspiration and credits him as one of the reasons he joined Brave Hearts.

“Yes, he is my role model. He’s got good handles, and he is very confident on the court. He is also friendly with us, his teammates,” said Billy.

Vincent Masiyano 2026 Brave Hearts
Vincent Masiyano in action against Cape Elite Soweto Uprising.

Masiyano says the exposure to top-level competition has done wonders for his game. “I have improved my rebounding, blocks and going aggressive to the rim. In the Road to BAL, the players are taller, so you have to find a way around that,” said Masiyano.

Masiyano, who is in his matric year, will return with Brave Hearts to the Road to BAL after the successful defence of their domestic title. As the Malawian giants begin their preparation for the Zone VI qualifiers, he feels Brave Hearts will be more impactful this year.

“We are ready for it. We lost all our games (in the Elite 16). Now we must be ready,” said Masiyano.

Masiyano: A rising star in Malawi’s basketball scene Read More »

Can Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon show out on world stage

Leave a Comment

THE FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup are fast approaching, with two African nations preparing to take on the world’s best young talent. Taking place in Istanbul, Türkiye (June 27–July 5), the tournament will allow Africa’s rising stars to test themselves against some of basketball’s most established nations.

The Big Tip Off writer, Sandisiwe Msibi, takes a closer look at each African team heading to the global showpiece, highlighting their qualification journey and the expectations surrounding each contingent ahead of the tournament.

Men’s Tournament: Istanbul, Türkiye

Côte d’Ivoire — Group D

Côte d’Ivoire’s U17 World Cup debut has been one of African basketball’s standout stories. The Elephants captured their maiden FIBA U16 AfroBasket title in Kigali, Rwanda, in September 2025, defeating Cameroon 62–49 in the final to crown a new continental champion.

The achievement marked a dramatic turnaround for a nation that had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in previous U16 AfroBasket appearances.

The defining moment came in the semi-finals, where Côte d’Ivoire defeated Egypt 75–58, ending the North African’s long-standing dominance and preventing the five-time champions from reaching the final for the second time in tournament history.

Their World Cup debut, however, comes with a stern test. Côte d’Ivoire has been drawn into Group D alongside Venezuela, Australia and Serbia, three nations with deep basketball traditions and significant international experience.

A top finish in the group may be unlikely, but simply competing at this level represents a major step forward for a program experiencing unprecedented growth.

Jean-Phillipe Oka 2026 FIBA
Can Jean-Phillipe Oka replicate his U16 Afrobasket feats at the U17 FIBA World Cup? Pictures: FIBA

Players to watch

Jean-Philippe Oka was the standout figure during the AfroBasket U16 tournament and deservedly walked away with MVP honours. The forward averaged 16.5 points and 11 rebounds per game.

Alongside him, Irené Ouédraogo established himself as one of the tournament’s most dominant interior players. His 20 rebounds in the final highlighted Côte d’Ivoire’s physical identity and their ability to control games inside the paint.

Cameroon — Group B

Few teams arrive at the U17 World Cup with a story as remarkable as Cameroon’s. The Central Africans made their debut at the U16 AfroBasket in 2025 and immediately shocked the continent by advancing to the final.

Along the way, they defeated Mali in the semi-finals before eventually falling to Côte d’Ivoire in the final. Their rise has been rapid. In 2025, Cameroon also made their first appearance at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup.

Like Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon are debuting at the U17 World Cup. Cameroon now faces another major challenge in Istanbul after being placed in Group B alongside Canada, Lithuania, and China. These are experienced nations that have competed multiple times.

Nolan Ngangmeni Cameroon 2026 U17 FIBA
Nolan Ngangmeni is the ace in Cameroon’s pack.

Players to watch

Point guard Nolan Ngangmeni emerged as one of the team’s key leaders during the qualifying round, particularly after his outstanding performance against Mali in the semi-finals, where he scored 23 points. He finished second in the tournament for total points scored with 98.

Felix Deumi also played an important role in Cameroon’s backcourt, helping provide pace, control and composure during crucial moments.

While Cameroon’s sudden rise signals the emergence of another potential basketball force on the continent, for these young players and their national programs, Istanbul represent another important step in Africa’s growing presence within global basketball.

Can Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon show out on world stage Read More »

ZBF Finals: A weekend of destiny waits

Leave a Comment

The wait is almost over. This weekend, the heartbeat of Zambian basketball will echo through the Castle Lite Arena in Lusaka as the country’s finest teams collide in the Zambia Basketball Federation (ZBF) National Championship Finals.

Championship dreams, fierce rivalries, redemption stories and promotion ambitions will all take centre stage in what promises to be one of the most exciting basketball weekends of the year.

Magic and Suns set for heavyweight  showdown

The headline act is between the biggest names in Zambian basketball. Defending national champions Matero Magic will lock horns with 2022-23 league champions Munali Suns in a blockbuster men’s Super League final that has captured the imagination of basketball fans across the country.

For Matero Magic, the stakes are clear. The Tamanga Boys are chasing a record-extending 13th national championship and another chapter in their storied legacy.

Despite entering the contest as defending champions, they are approaching the final with caution and respect for an opponent that has proven capable of matching them stride for stride.

Chonga Chono weekend 2026 ZBF final
Chono Chonga will lead Matero’s charge for a 13th ZBF title this weekend. Pictures FIBA and Diesel Media

The rivalry could hardly be more balanced. During the MBA regular season, the two teams split their meetings, with each side claiming a victory. That parity has only added fuel to the anticipation surrounding the contest. Magic will, however, have to navigate the challenge without reigning MVP Elijah Mbochu, who recently joined Dar City. Yet the champions remain confident that they possess enough quality and experience to defend their crown.

Across the court, Munali Suns believe their moment has arrived. Fresh from capturing the league title, the Junta Boys enter the final full of confidence and determined to translate a successful season into national glory.

Having already demonstrated their ability to compete with and defeat Magic, the Suns know they have every reason to believe they can finish the job.

With star players on both sides, passionate fan bases expected to pack the arena, and a rivalry that continues to grow with every meeting, this matchup has all the ingredients of a classic.

The question on everyone’s lips remains the same: Will Matero Magic continue their dynasty, or will Munali Suns finally rise and claim the biggest prize of all?

Green Buffalos women's club
Green Buffaloes will look to assert their dominance over the Dolphins in the Women’s ZBF finals.

Buffaloes seek redemption as Dolphins chase history

The Women’s Super League final offers another compelling storyline as Green Buffaloes and Dolphins renew a rivalry that has become one of the most intriguing in the women’s game.

On paper, Green Buffaloes enter as favourites. The military side swept the Dolphins 3-0 during the regular season and went on to secure the league title. Their consistency, experience and defensive discipline have made them one of the most formidable teams in the country this season.

Yet the Buffaloes are refusing to overlook their opponents. Having fallen short of national championship success in recent years, the team understands that regular-season dominance guarantees nothing once the finals begin.

For the Dolphins, the final represents another opportunity to turn promise into silverware.
Despite being labelled as underdogs by many observers, the aquatic side has plenty of experience on this stage, having reached the national championship final on three previous occasions. Their youthful squad, led by a determined core of players, believes it has what it takes to upset the favourites.

Dolphins have spent the season proving doubters wrong, and they now stand one win away from completing what would be one of the biggest stories of the campaign.

Can the Buffaloes end their national title drought, or will the Dolphins finally swim to championship glory?

ZBF Finals: A weekend of destiny waits Read More »

RSSB’s BAL title win masks Rwanda’s basketball reality

Leave a Comment

THE BAL celebration confetti that poured as the Rwandan club RSSB Tigers hoisted the trophy on Sunday has cleared. Fans will be back to their daily routines after the crazy Sunday night celebration. And the ending of this BAL 2026 season is the resumption of the next. 

However, as the resetting happens, there is another reality of Rwanda’s basketball that should not be left unchecked. 

No doubt, RSSB’s accomplishment has greatly enhanced the East African nation’s image. Their BAL victory and Rwanda’s growing domestic league, a popular destination for top African and international talent, can only benefit that country. It’s a return on investment made by Rwanda’s government to popularise basketball. Additionally, with the state’s backing, partnerships with entities like the NBA further improved the sport’s visibility.

But at what cost? The optics of winning the BAL were great for Rwanda and RSSB, but how does it benefit the apex basketball entity in Rwanda, the national team?

RSSB player Ntore Habimana Rwanda 2025 AfroBasket
Can BAL champion Ntore Habimana help revive Rwanda’s World Cup hopes?

Something apparent and glaring throughout RSSB’s BAL campaign, until they lifted the baobab-shaped BAL trophy, was the heavy reliance on their import players. Tournament MVP Craig Randall II, Defensive Player of the Year Mangok Mathiang, Teafal Leanard, Mali’s Oumar Ballo and naturalised Antino Jackson carried RSSB to victory – but in stark contrast, Rwanda’s national team players like Axel Mpoyo, Ntore Habimana and Dieudonné Ndizeye only played contributing roles.

Whereas RSSB relied on their recruits, their opponents in the final, the BAL standard bearers, Petro de Luanda, who were playing in their fourth consecutive final on Sunday, and have competed in every BAL since the tournament’s inception, leaned on their local players like 2025 AfroBasket MVP Childe Dundão, Aboubakar Gakou, Yanick Moreira, Cleusio Castro, Milton Valente, Gerson Goncalves and Gerson Domingos.

You can spot the difference that Petro has a longer list of national team players. These are the players who, during Petro’s run to a fourth final, made significant contributions and continue Angola’s tradition of excellence on the African club scene. Names like Gakou, Valente and Goncalves (Gerson) were also alongside Dundão when Angola annexed a 12th AfroBasket trophy on home soil. Those names have been called up by Pep Canals, the Palancas Negras coach, as he plots Angola’s 10th appearance at the FIBA World Cup in Qatar next year.

Rwanda, too, are competing in the ongoing FIBA World Cup 2027 Africa qualifiers and will head to Angola (2-5 July) for the third window. But RSSB’s strong showing at the BAL masks the fact that the national team find themselves stone last with a 0-3 record in their qualifying Group D, which has Guinea, Tunisia and Nigeria. Not the kind of result you would expect for a country whose club just won the BAL, but again, who carried the night for RSSB in the BAL final?

RSSB player Dieudonne Ndizeye and Rwanda
Dieudonne Ndizeye has been an ever-present for the national team.

It was not Mpoyo nor Habimana, and while they gave RSSB quality minutes and made decent contributions, they hardly set the scene alight. Dundao and Gakou, on the other hand, exhibited why Angolan basketball is something to brag about as the duo were contenders for the MVP title alongside Randle II and Mathiang. Point guard Dundao was named to the All-BAL First Team, while forward Gakou made the All-BAL Second Team, showing the gulf between Angola and Rwanda.

The Petro ethos of banking on homegrown players is tried and tested. It has consistently brought them and other Angolan clubs success. In the BAL era, many clubs have adopted RSSB’s approach, prioritising immediate success over investing in the development of homegrown talent that could also strengthen their national teams.

Clubs like RSSB need to invest more in their domestic talent pipelines to develop players capable of competing at both the BAL and FIBA competitions.

 For now, Rwanda and RSSB can bask in their BAL glory – but in the coming weeks, the novelty of winning the BAL will wear off, and barring a miracle in the World Cup qualifiers, the reality could set in that they still have some way to go before they are truly a force in African basketball.

RSSB’s BAL title win masks Rwanda’s basketball reality Read More »

RSSB overcome adversity to be crowned BAL champs

Leave a Comment

The 2026 Basketball Africa League season ended the only way it could, with a moment no one fully saw coming when the season tipped off at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa: The RSSB Tigers of Rwanda are BAL champions.

Down 20 in the final to start, playing in front of a Kigali crowd that had never witnessed anything like this, they clawed back. Point by point, possession by possession, until Petro de Luanda, the BAL’s most seasoned, most decorated franchise, ran out of answers, losing 90-88 on Sunday night.

Season 6 will live in the record books not only for all the electrifying moments but for its story of emergence, identity, and what happens when belief refuses to yield to pedigree.

From replacement team to champions

The RSSB Tigers were not initially invited to Season 6. They got a phone call less than a month before the tip-off after APR was withdrawn due to political sanctions. This left them with no time to develop a game plan, study their opponents, or face the weight of expectation.

However, the absence of pressure became their greatest asset. Throughout the Kalahari Conference in Pretoria, they played fiercely and without apology. They secured wins and adapted to the BAL’s physical demands, making adjustments every time they stepped onto the court. What started as a replacement story gradually evolved into a legitimate title contention by the end of the Kalahari Conference.

Henry Mwinuka RSSB coach
Coach Henry Mwinuka successfully led RSSB Tigers to a maiden BAL title. Pictures: BAL and The Big Tip Off

At the centre of this remarkable journey was Craig Randall II. His Season 6 campaign was historic, as he set a new BAL single-game scoring record, achieved over 300 points in the season, became the hope of an entire nation, and was awarded MVP honours. Randall was the offensive engine, the emotional anchor, and the standard-setter for a team that needed someone to demonstrate what fearlessness looked like.

This is what Randal said at the post-match conference: “This is everything to me. Three months ago, I almost gave up on basketball. I didn’t want to play basketball anymore. I didn’t think it was for me,” said Randall. “When I came here. James and Coach Henry did something for me that nobody has ever done – which was to allow me to be myself on and off the court. And I have a group of guys that I love because they did the same thing.

Randall continued: “I’ll be honest, I am not the easiest guy to deal with. My wife can tell you that, but when it comes to the game of basketball, I give everything I have,” he said.

“The president, when I spoke to him about making history, I told him, ‘I promise you we’re gonna make history,’ and I told you all the other day I was not coming to this press conference without this trophy.”

Mangok Mathiang laid the foundation in the paint, earning Defensive Player of the Year and establishing himself as one of the league’s most reliable big men. Head coach Henry Mwinuka, named Coach of the Year, accomplished something most coaches never get to claim: he took a team assembled under duress and led them to the championship in a single season without making excuses.

“The win is for the coaching staff and the players,” said Mwinuka. “We have been working so hard during camp. I appreciate them for stepping up during the game. I want them to go and enjoy now.

“It was really hard from South Africa to getting here. It was frustating sometimes, but I believe, I believe in the players and this credit goes to them.”

Ultimately, RSSB represented something much bigger than basketball. It reflected the resilience of Rwandan sporting infrastructure, built on adaptability, depth, and an unshakeable “next man up” mentality. When one door closes in Rwanda, another doesn’t just open; it bursts wide open. They didn’t just participate in Season 6; they made their mark.

Craig Randall II RSSB Tigers
Craig Randall II played lights out from the Kalahari Conference all the way to the final.

Petro de Luanda: The Standard, Even in Defeat

To understand how significant RSSB’s title is, you have to understand what they beat. Six seasons in, Petro de Luanda are the BAL’s most enduring force. Four finals appearances. Championship pedigree. A structure and continuity that no other club on the continent has matched. They arrived in Kigali not as contenders but as the standard. For a stretch of that final, they looked every bit of it. Petro opened with a 20–0 vintage run: disciplined, physical, collectively executed. The kind of basketball that has made them the measuring stick for an entire league. If the game had ended at halftime, we would have written a very different story.

However, championships aren’t decided in stretches.

As the game wore on, foul trouble crept in. Aboubakar Gakou, who was pivotal to Petro’s rhythm and had a hot hand, was limited by both fouls and a slight injury at the worst possible time. Childe Dundão struggled from beyond the arc, and Gerson Lukeny couldn’t find the consistent rhythm that made him lethal in the semi-finals. The spacing that defined their offence never fully clicked, and in the fourth quarter, when they needed to run clean sets and manufacture stops, the disruptions had simply accumulated too much.

This resulted in a compounding of small fractures in a game that punishes everyone. Petro de Luanda remain the BAL’s most complete franchise. That didn’t change on Sunday night. What changed was that, for the first time in Season 6, they met a team that refused to be defined by the moment they were in.

The final that crystallised a season

The closing stretch said everything. Experience versus belief. Pedigree versus hunger. Two very different philosophies of championship basketball were decided by who made fewer mistakes in the moments that mattered most. RSSB won, and in winning, they handed Rwanda their first BAL title, a milestone for a franchise, yes, but more meaningfully, a return on investment which provided validation of an entire basketball ecosystem that has been built with a lot of intention over the past few years.

Season 6 had records set and broken, breakout stars, familiar faces and moments that will be replayed and debated for years. However, its defining image is a team that arrived as a footnote and left as champions.

RSSB overcome adversity to be crowned BAL champs Read More »

×