The atmosphere at BK Arena in Kigali has been electric as the Nile Conference of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) rolls on, and two teams are already making headlines.
APR BBC, representing Rwanda, secured their second win of the tournament after a hard-fought battle against Made by Ballers Basketball Club from South Africa. It was far from smooth sailing for APR, which struggled to find its rhythm in the first two quarters. The Made Ballers came out with high energy and posed real challenges early in the game.
But after halftime, the Rwandan side regrouped and turned up the pressure. With a much better defensive setup and improved execution on offense, led by Senegalese standout Youssoupha Ndoye, who scored 25 points and made 2 blocks, APR bounced back and took control of the game, eventually pulling off a well-deserved 103–81 win in front of their home crowd.
In the second matchup of the day, Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya continued their strong run, claiming a second victory, this time against Nairobi City Thunder from Kenya. Tripoli showed dominance from the start, using their experience and physicality to maintain control throughout the game. Once again, Jean Jacques Boissy led the charge, scoring 30 points and grabbing 3 rebounds. Their composure and teamwork proved decisive in securing a solid 115–87 win, setting a new BAL record with a dominant scoring performance.
With both APR BBC and Al Ahly Tripoli now standing at 2–0, they have placed themselves in a strong position as the race for the BAL Playoffs heats up.
The Nile Conference continues at BK Arena, with every game proving just how much African basketball is growing in talent, competition, and excitement.
PHOTOS by Shema Innocent
