ASSOCIATION Sportives des Douanes, or simply AS Douanes, head into Season 4 of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) as hosts of the Sahara Conference and a household name in BAL.
The Big Tip Off previews the BAL Season 3 finalists.
Team: AS Douanes
Country: Senegal
History: The Senegalese club, founded in 1980, has a rich history. Nicknamed Les Gabelous, the team participates in the Nationale Division 1 (NM1). They are Senegal’s most successful team, having won thirty-six trophies. They have won the NM1 for a record eleven times. Their most successful continental outing was finishing as runners-up in the 2023 BAL season after a tough defeat to Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
Route to BAL: Senegal is the host nation of the Sahara Conference, and their clubs only need to win their national championship to gain automatic qualification for the BAL.
Coach: Senegalese coach Pabi Gueye has been at the helm for 11 years. The Senegalese now coaches the team he once played for and helped win several NM1 titles. He saw his team do exceedingly well when he trusted the local talent. It allowed the talents of Jean Jacques Boissy to flourish. The coach had a successful season but ultimately fell short in the finals.
Pabi Gueye will be expected to lead AS Douanes to the BAL title. Pictures: FIBA
Gueye won the Coach of the Year award after the successful campaign. There is no doubt that the former Senegal coach will not only try to repeat this feat but also try to lead his team to the finals and lift the trophy this time around.
Star player: Jean Jacques Boissy is the star player for the Senegalese outfit. He is a local talent who initially came off the bench in the BAL 2023.
Boissy’s performances (13 points per game) convinced Pabi Gueye that he deserved a starting role last year. His performance landed him a contract with Aurore Vitré in France.
Boissy earned the All-BAL First Team and BAL All-Defensive First Team in the 2023 season. He is young and ambitious. He will be looking to lift the trophy and to make himself a household name in African basketball.
AL Ahly Benghazi is one of the teams making their debut in Season 4 of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The Big Tip shares some insights on the North African club ahead of the BAL.
Club: Al Ahly Benghazi
Country: Libya
History: The seventy-four-year-oldBenghazi-based club have enjoyed some success in spurts in the Libyan basketball circuit. The Butchers have three Libiyan Basketball League championships to their name, two Libyan Super Cup titles and two Arab Club Basketball Championship trophies to their name.
They are not new to the continental scene, having made three FIBA Africa Clubs Championships Cup appearances and finished eighth in 2013.
Al Ahly has also won back-to-back (2012 and 2013) Arab Club Championships.
Route To BAL: During last year’s Road To BAL Division West, Al Ahly had to beat Cameroon’s FAP 93-84 to qualify for the BAL.
Coach: Benghazi recently signed Serbian coach Ivan Jeremic. The 62-year-old’s coaching career began in the youth teams of Serbian club Crevna Zvezda.
Jeremic has had more success as an assistant coach in Russia, winning EuroCups with Unics Kazan and Lokomotiv Kuban. He won four Russian League titles, two Russian Cup trophies with CSKA Moscow and a VTB League title with the same club.
As coach of Al Nasr in Bahrain, he won a league and cup title.
Point guard Solo Diabate has been an influential figure for Al Ahly. Picture: FIBA Africa
Star Player: Cote D’Ivoire’s Solo Diabate is one of the continent’s finest point guards. A player with three FIBA World Cup appearances and two AfroBasket Silver medals and had a long career in Europe.
Going into the latter stages of his career, Diabate has enjoyed success at the club level.
The point guard has won two Basketball Africa League titles with Zamalek (Egypt) and US Monastir Tunisia. He has also won league and cup titles with US Monastir and Petro de Luanda.
In Benghazi’s Road To BAL campaign, Diabate had an 18.3 efficiency rating. And he averaged 13.5 points per game and 6.8 assists per game.
With the solid veteran experience of Diabate, and quality addition to the team Al Ahli could have a good trajectory in the BAL.
ISRAEL Otobo first encountered the Basketball Africa League (BAL) as a fan. The 19-year-old Nigerian forward remembers watching Season 3 of The BAL for the first time at a restaurant in Nigeria. That moment gave him some food for thought… He imagined himself being part of what is becoming one of the greatest basketball shows in Africa.
“I remember thinking, ‘This league is so huge and I would love to play in it one day’,” said the Nigerian international.
His wish to play in the BAL would come true, albeit outside the confines of his homeland. In a couple of weeks (March 9), Otobo and Burundi’s Dynamo Basketball Club will participate in the expanded BAL’s Kalahari Conference, tipping off at the Sun Bet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa.
Israel Otobo has fulfilled a dream by helping Dynamo qualify for the BAL. Pictures: FIBA Africa.
In an interview with The Big Tip Off, Otobo discusses his young professional career, the Road to BAL qualifiers and the team’s preparation for Season 4 of the BAL.
Otobo’s journey with Dynamo began unexpectedly. It followed an unsuccessful season with the local men’s side Nigeria Customs. They lost to the Kwara Falcons in the 2022 Nigerian Premier League finals, resulting in them losing out on a BAL ticket. Although the team’s season ended on a sad note, Otobo credits his senior teammates for helping ease his nerves. They made his first experience in the league a good one.
Following his performance there, he received a call-up to represent Nigeria at the World Cup Qualifiers, where he caught the eye of Dynamo BBC. The Burundian club promptly began negotiations, which proved fruitful, and Otobo would be on his way to East Africa.
Otobo had no prior knowledge of the club and Burundi, but he took the leap of faith and was determined to help Dynamo achieve their domestic and continental ambitions.
“When I first came in, I didn’t know anybody,” recalls Otobo. “I had no reputation, so I had to start from scratch by proving myself, while also trying to figure out how we would win the league.”
Thankfully for Otobo and Dynamo, the leap of faith paid off as they beat former Champions Urunani to claim their first Championship since 2018 and secured themselves a spot in last year’s the Road to BAL qualifiers.
Their Road To BAL Division East journey began in Tanzania, and following a second-place finish in the regional qualifiers, a season-saving wild card sent Dynamo to the Elite 16 in Johannesburg. They eventually secured the last ticket after a close victory over Madagascar’s COSPN in the third-place game. The Hulk-like Otobo averaged 14 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, which helped Dynamo’s qualification efforts.
“We made it through the first stage (of the Road to BAL), but things got more challenging in South Africa,” said Otobo. “There were some difficulties, but I had faith in my team and believed we could overcome them. Thank God, we did.”
Otobo credits his team’s success in the tournament to their fighting spirit and level of self-belief. He says, “Although people did not believe in us, we had faith in ourselves and each other. We all understood our roles, stuck to the plan, and supported one another. This kept us going and enabled us to achieve our goal of securing the ticket.”
Reflecting on the last game against COSPN, where he fouled out, Otobo expressed his disappointment at not finishing the game. He felt he could have helped his team in the crucial moments.
“I fouled out doing my job, and I did my best. So did my team, till the very end, and that is how we were able to get the job done.”
The journey to success had its hardships, but Otobo has learned invaluable lessons from his former teammates, Chris Obekpa and Deshaun Morman, which he will carry into Season 4. “The leadership that they brought to the team showed me how to conduct myself as a professional.”
Israel Otobo caught the eye of Dynamo while playing for Nigeria in the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
Dynamo has made big moves in preparation for the BAL. These include acquiring the services of former COSPN head coach, Julian Chaignot, dynamite guard Dhieu Deing and forwards Makhtar Gueye and Ryan Richards.
Otobo says their practices have been challenging as the competition draws closer.
“Training camp has been intense and hard. We have some new guys too, and they are also adjusting,” says Otobo. “Everything is going well. We are getting to know each other more as we build our team spirit and chemistry.”
His focus for the next couple of weeks is preparing for the moment he wished for since watching the BAL in that restaurant in Nigeria.
He and his Dynamo teammates will do battle against Kalahari Conference hosts Cape Town Tigers in the last game of the opening night.
“We have never been to the BAL, so we do not know what to expect. One thing I know is we are going to give everything we have,” says Otobo. “We will not fear any opponent. We going to fight in every single game and give our best.”
The change in scenery has elevated Otobo’s career, and in a few weeks, he will have a chance to show out on the big stage.
THE City Oilers have been a dominant team in their national league. As they gear up for Season 4 of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), will they be competitive on the continental stage?
The Big Tip Off previews the Oilers ahead of the BAL.
Team: City Oilers
Country: Uganda
History: The club was founded in 2011 by a group of friends and has subsequently won nine Ugandan National Basketball League (NBL) titles, the most by any club in the East African country. The Oilers have participated in the FIBA Africa Clubs Championship once, under the name “Warriors” and secured 9th position in that tournament. The City Oilers engaged in The Road to BAL twice (2019 and 2022) where they failed to qualify. However, they qualified in the 2023 Road to BAL.
In their debut appearance (2019), the Ugandan side only managed to win one game out of the five. They finished sixth in the Nile Conference and did not progress beyond the group stages.
Route To BAL: The City Oilers showed improvement in their second qualification for the BAL at the end of November in Johannesburg, South Africa. They finished second in the Elite 16, Division East, behind the Cape Town Tigers.
Andrew Tendo has taken on the task of leading the City Oilers in BAL Season 4. Pictures: FIBA Africa and The BTO
Coach: Andrew Tendo was recently been appointed the new head coach for the Oilers. Tendo previously was an assistant to the former coach, Mandy Juruni, who joined Rwandan side Kepler University. Tendo has been a part of the team for quite some time and contributed to three of the nine NBL titles won by the Oilers. His familiarity with the team should make his transition smooth. The first-year head coach will have his work cut out for him ahead of the BAL. However, he has a chance to find his feet as the NBL season tipped off last month.
Star Player: Parish Petty emerged as the star player for the Oilers during their Road to BAL campaign. Petty was impactful with the distribution and sharing of the ball, an issue the Oilers have struggled with in the past and has cost them dearly.
The guard’s unselfish style of play complements the team’s core. He averaged 18 points, 5.4 rebounds per game, 3.4 steals per game, and three assists per game. Petty led all guards in The Road to BAL in the efficiency category, with a rating of 19.3 per game, which speaks volumes of how valuable of an asset he is for the Oilers.
FUS Rabat are making a first appearance in the Basketball Africa League (BAL). In this preview, The Big Tip Off delves into FUS and its journey to the continent’s premier club competition.
Team: FUS Rabat
Country: Morocco
History: FUS Rabat is Morocco’s most successful club, with 18 Division Excellence League titles and nine Moroccan Throne Cup trophies.
Despite their domestic success, they have surprisingly not participated in any continental competition.
Route To BAL: After 19 years without a league trophy, FUS were crowned champions of Morocco last year, earning a spot in the Road To BAL.
The North Africans would go on to make it to the playoffs of the Division West, beating Cameroon’s FAP in the third and fourth place game to guarantee themselves a spot in the BAL.
FUS Rabat coach Said El Bouzidi will lead the Moroccan club during the BAL. Pictures: FIBA
Coach: Said El Bouzidi has coached in North Africa and the Middle East (Saudi Arabia). The Moroccan coach has a continental title to his name, which he won with AS Sale (2017). His other list of achievements includes four Moroccan Division Excellence titles and two Throne Cup titles, also won with Sale.
As coach of US Monastir (Tunisia), he won a Championnat A title (Tunisia’s premier league) in 2019.
With Bouzidi at the helm, FUS Rabat has a coach who has won at the highest level in club competition. He can help the Moroccan champions navigate the BAL.
Star player: Malian forward Aliou Diarra (22) is a young star playing on the continent, and FUS are reaping the rewards of his talent.
The former Stade Malien player helped lead the Moroccan club to qualify for their maiden BAL competition. Diarra’s scoring (13.3 points per game) and rebounding (9.8 rebounds per game) feats during FUS Rabat’s Road To BAL Division West qualification are a testament to his star quality.
Before moving to Morocco, he had an outstanding BAL Season 3 with Stade Malien, winning the Defensive Player of the Year. He also received the All-BAL First Team and BAL All-Defensive Team honours.
Should Diarra maintain the standard he set at last year’s BAL, the Moroccans can set the BAL on fire.
RIVERS Hoopers head into Season 4 of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) after last appearing in 2021. The Big Tip Off previews the King’s Men ahead of the continental tournament.
Team: Rivers Hoopers Basketball Club
Country: Nigeria
History: The Nigerian side returns to the BAL for their second appearance. They were founded in 2005 in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, as Royal Hoopers. They became Rivers Hoopers in 2019 when the Government of River State took over the team. The team participates in the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) and has enjoyed great success. They have won the national championship five times. They bowed out of the BAL tournament in the group stages when they last participated in 2021.
Ogoh Odaudu (pictured coaching Nigeria) and the Rivers Hoopers will return to the BAL. Pictures: FIBA.
Route to BAL: Nigeria is one of the six countries that do not have to qualify for the BAL through Road To BAL. Their national champion automatically qualifies.
Coach: Former Nigerian national team player Ogoh Odaudu will lead the Hoopers in their second appearance at the BAL. The former point guard has been club coach since 2009 during which he has won the national championship five times. He is also part of the national team coaching staff. Odaudu was head coach at AfroCAN in 2019 and assistant at the Tokyo Olympics. The experienced coach will be looking to take his team further this time towards achieving the ultimate goal of winning the BAL.
Star player: Victor Anthony Koko is the star player. The Nigerian centre is the team captain and leader. He will be looking to lead his team to greater heights in the tournament after a poor campaign in 2021. He averaged 7 points and 8 rebounds per game in that season. Koko also represented Nigeria in the FIBA AfroCAN in 2019. Koko has since been named finals MVP in the NPL.
AFTER their humiliating exit in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Season 3 last year, Tunisian club US Monastir will be looking to redeem themselves in this season’s competition.
The Big Tip Off gives insights into Monastir ahead of the upcoming BAL Season 4.
Team: US Monastir
Country: Tunisia
History: Monastir are eight-time champions of the Championnat Pro A. The five-time Tunisian Cup champions have been among the top teams in their local league, but on the continent, Monastir has been the country’s bright light.
Following their appearance in the final of the inaugural BAL season, Monastir went one better by being crowned champions in Season 2.
The following season saw the Blue Empire falter at the Sahara Conference stage of the BAL.
Route The BAL: Tunisia are one of six countries whose league winners get direct entry to the BAL, and Monastir will now make a fourth appearance at the continental competition.
Adel Tlatli has a wealth of experience in international basketball. Pictures: FIBA
Coach: In terms of landing a big-name coach, it does not come better than Adel Tlatli. He led the Tunisian national team to an AfroBasket gold medal in 2011 and achieved a third position twice in 2009 and 2015 in the same tournament.
Tlatli’s other achievements include leading the North African giants at the 2010 FIBA World Cup and the 2012 London Olympics.
With Tlatli on their bench, Monastir has a fighting chance to reclaim the BAL trophy won in 2022.
Star player: Firas Lahyani has been a mainstay of the Blue Empire since the inaugural BAL tournament.
The Tunisian international was not a starter in the start-studded team that made the final in 2021, but he contributed 5.0 points per game from the bench.
In their championship season (2022), Lahyani played a prominent role for the Tunisian club. His minutes (24.7 minutes per game) and production increased. He averaged 12.5 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.
If Lahyani can get back to the level of production of two seasons ago, it could change and improve Monastir’s outcomes.
DYNAMO Basketball Club, or simply Dynamo, are one of the clubs making their debut in Season 4 of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The Big Tip Off previews the team ahead of the BAL.
Team: Dynamo Basketball Club
Country: Burundi
History: The Burundian side has a rich history. Founded in 1968 in Bujumbura, the team participates in the Viva Basketball League and Bujumbura Amateurs Basketball Club Association (ACBAB). Dynamo only won its first Burundian National Championship in 2016. The East African club has won two more national championship titles, four Heroes Cups and three ACBAB titles.
Dynamo has achieved enormous success domestically and has become the first club from Burundi to qualify for the BAL.
New Dynamo coach Julien Chaignot helping to put the Burundian club on the map. Picture: FIBA
Route to BAL: After securing second place in the preliminary phase of the Road To BAL Division East in Tanzania, Dynamo headed to Johannesburg, South Africa, for the final stage. Dynamo signed Guibert Nijimbere, Israel Otobo, Deshaun Morman and Christopher Obekpa. The Burundian club had a slow start to their campaign in Johannesburg but they managed to claw their way back. Dynamo beat COSPN of Madagascar by one point in the third and fourth playoff to secure their spot in the BAL.
Coach: Frenchman Julien Chaignot was recently appointed head coach and will lead the team in their quest to compete for the title this season.
Before joining the Burundi club, Chaignot coached the Malagasy side COSPN. His former team lost to Dynamo in the Road To BAL third and fourth place playoff game, ultimately making way for the Burundian outfit to reach the BAL. Coach Chaignot will lead the Burundi champions to Season 4 of the BAL.
Star player: Israel Otobo is the star player for the Burundian side. The Nigerian forward took the Road To BAL East Division by storm with his performance in Johannesburg, South Africa. Otobo averaged 14 points per game and 13 rebounds per game. He is one of Africa’s most exciting prospects. At 19, he is realising his potential and he will look to dominate for the East African club
YANICK Moreira’s career is one of Africa’s greatest success stories in basketball. From his youth and into his prime he has enjoyed a playing career illuminated by trophies. While many would be content if they had half of what Moreira has won, he on the other hand remains hungry for more.
While fortunate to have been in winning situations in his journey, the foundational work of moulding and shaping the phenomenal Petro de Luanda player started in his home country, Angola. He says witnessing the esteemed Palancas Negras showing out in continental competition led him to his present path.
“I fell in love with basketball by watching my national team (Angola) playing in the AfroBasket in Luanda. It inspired me to want also wear the national team vest and represent my country at highest level,” explained the 32-year-old.
Yanick Moreira’s love for basketball started when he saw the Angolan national team play. Pictures FIBA
While enamoured by his country’s exploits on the court, his family, on the other hand, were sceptical of his decision to play basketball. They felt Moreira would have better outcomes if he pursued education.
Fortunately for the big man, there would be a turning point that changed his family’s opinion about his pursuit of basketball.
“They were not sure how far I would go with basketball. In their (family) opinion, school and getting a degree was my best option,” said Moreira. “Thats until they saw me play for the national team… ‘You are good’ was how they responded.”
Having changed his family’s opinion on his career choice, Moreira continued to thrive, and a world of opportunity opened, and his cup of success also flowed.
He had already enjoyed multiple league and cup successes before jetting off to the United States on a college scholarship. At the latter end of his time at South Plains College, his team won the NJCAA tournament, and he also scooped the MVP award (all in 2012). He was also an NJCAA All-American.
In his final college year (2015) at Southern Methodist University, where he graduated, he was also the ACC’s Most Improved Player and Second All-ACC team.
As a professional player, he attained NBA G League success with 905 Raptors in 2017 and won a FIBA Champions League title with Italian club Virtus Bologna. Moreira says the genesis of his winning attitude stems from the national team and former club, Primeiro de Agosto’s “winning culture”.
“I have grown up in a winning culture. I grew up playing for Primeiro de Agosto, and every game we played, we had to win. So, having that mentality at a young age helped me wherever I went. I always tell myself, ‘I know how to win,” said Moreira. “Also, watching my national team win most of the time was encouraging.
“I also told myself, ‘I want to bring something back for my country.”
He also had a reflection on his decade-long overseas experience. The former AEK Athens player says leaving Angola built his character.
“It made me stronger (playing overseas), especially as I was away from my family. My desire was to play basketball at a higher level and somebody gave me an opportunity to make the most of my talent. I have never looked back, since then,” said Moreira. “I realised how far basketball can take me. With focus, dedication, and with hard work, the opportunities came.”
Following a shortlived stay in Israel with Hapoel Afula BC, Moreira recently returned to Angola. He is helping to lead Petro’s charge for a 17th Angolan Basketball League title. The 2.11m (6ft11) big man also wants to change the fortunes of Os Tricolores in the Basketball Africa League (BAL), a trophy that has eluded the Angolan giants since the tournament tipped off in 2021.
Yanick Moreira feels his game is improving with every year.
Moreira was part of the Petro team that made their only final in 2022, in which they lost Tunisia’s US Monastir. As Petro heads to their fourth BAL, he urges his teammates to enjoy themselves more.
“Of course, you always want to win… It will always be in our minds, but we also need to do is have fun. Play smart. Play together, but most importantly, have fun and enjoy,” emphasised Moreira. “Many teams do not get the opportunity to play at the BAL. We need to enjoy this moment because you don’t know when you will get it again.
“For forty minutes, you can forget the stuff going on in your life and enjoy basketball. It’s forty minutes of doing what you love.”
Another aspect Moreira is enjoying is developing his game. As a veteran player, he’s added a few more tricks to his bag to outsmart opponents.
“I feel great (about my game). As you get older, you add some stuff to become better. Every year, I feel I am getting better,” said Moreira. “I want to get better by the time the BAL starts. I am in great shape and ready to go.”
Moreira’s return to Petro significantly improves their BAL aspirations. He has won in the parts of the world he played in. Hopefully, his championship pedigree will rub off on the Angolan juggernaut.
PETRO de Luanda is a highly decorated club that has participated in every instalment of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Despite their extensive experience in the league, they have yet to win the BAL trophy. Ahead of theBAL, The Big Tip Off previewsPetro.
Team: Petro de Luanda
Country: Angola
History: The 40-year-old club has a history of success on home soil and continentally. Petro has won many titles over the years, including 16 Angolan Basketball League championships, two Luanda Provincial Champions titles, 14 Angolan Cup titles, 10 Wlademiro Romero Super Cup titles, one Victorino Cunha Cup title and two FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup titles.
In the first season, they finished in third place and made it to the final the following year, where they fell short against Tunisia’s US Monastir.
Can Jose Neto lead Petro to the promised land in Season 4 of the BAL? Pictures: FIBA and the BTO
Despite their lack of a BAL title, Petro has always managed to finish among the top four in the BAL.
Route To BAL: Angola is one of six countries whose club’s automatic qualification into the BAL. Petro went 23-1 throughout the season and defeated Primero de Agosto in the Angolan Basketball League finals to clinch their 16th national title.
Coach: Brazilian coach José Neto will again lead Petro in their title quest.Netohas extensive coaching experience at the club and national team level for Brazil. He is also the head coach of Brazil’s national women’s team, and his coaching career is highly decorated.
Previously, he coached at Flamengo basketball club and achieved great success. He won a FIBA Intercontinental Cup Championship, a FIBA Americas League Championship, and four consecutive Brazilian National League (NBB) titles.
During his time with Petro, he has won three Angolan League Champion titles, two Angolan Cup trophies, and two Angolan Super Cup titles. Neto is also a three-time Angolan League Coach of the Year and he won Coach of the Year in Season 2 of the BAL.
Star Player: Carlos Morais, a veteran and legendary basketball player from Angola, is a star player on the Petro team. Last season, when Petro appeared to be struggling in the final stages of games,Moraiswas the go-to guy. He made key plays that helped to swing the momentum in Petro’s favour.
At 38, he had his best performance in Season 3 of the BAL… Recording improvements in every statistical category, averaging 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds per game, and 3.3 assists per game.
In Season 2 of the BAL, Morais earned All-First Team honours.
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