Thoughts on the Basketball Africa League

Date

By Tayo Adamolekun

Basketball Africa League, the highly anticipated event of the NBA and FIBA, made its debut last May in Rwanda. The competition featured twelve teams from across Africa competing for the title. The games were broadcast in 251 countries via satellite and the web. Due to the pandemic, the organizers were forced to organize the tournament strictly in Kigali. The abbreviated inaugural season took place in a restrictive environment due to health crises.

After waiting more than a year, the participating teams were eager to get involved. The historic tournament featured historic clubs with a rich history and culture in the game of basketball. Representatives of the Arab nation Morocco AS Sale (circa 1928) & Zamalek (c.1911). Also formidable, the Tunisian team US Monastir was approached to come out winner by many observers.

Participants very determined to emerge champions. Sometimes the quality of the game was lacking. Several of the match had unbalanced results. Host Rwanda Patriots began with a surprise win over Nigeria's Rivers Hoopers. Clubs that came from countries with well-organized and competitive leagues achieved better results. The winner of Morocco's Division 1, AS, and the representatives of Cameroon are examples.

Coincidentally, the two clashed, in what turned out to be the most competitive match of the tournament. The new Kigali Arena hosted the tournament. The evolution of the BAL will be determined by a structured roadmap for the construction of the facilities and their management. The NBA brought its wealth of resources to the organization of the event. The continental powerhouses in Angola, Senegal and Nigeria completed the teams that gained automatic places. The other six teams qualified from a tournament.

The format consisted of 6 groups in 2 divisions with the last 16 teams competing for the last places of the tournament. The selected players were allocated four places in the international players' roster. Players from African countries whose teams did not qualify were on the BAL lists. Many players who participated in the Basketball Without Borders initiative appeared in the BAL. Players who had experience in foreign clubs have impactful contributions. Notable among them were Sudan's Ater Majok and Ivorian Souleymane Diabate.

Nigeria's much-vaunted hoopers team didn't live up to the opportunity. The Mali team also looked disjointed in their matches. Hoopers point guard Ben Uzoh has sometimes shown hesitation in his game. He failed to assert himself and make his mark on the games. This could be attributed to a lack of preparation. The host Patriots, on the other hand, showed fervor and courage and beat the hoopers hands down in the opening game.

Petro de Luanda, the Angolan giants gathered with their itinerant supporters . Featuring the team's small striker, Jone Pedro showed an awareness of the pitch. Excellent at rebounds and having a good control of his position. He scored timely baskets. He stood out throughout the tournament. Their team showed good teamwork and narrowly missed the final.

The tournament favorites, US Monastir, met Egypt's Zamalek in the final. The Tunisians had not been challenged in any of their matches. However, in this decisive match, they fell behind in double digits and could not recover. The champions of the first edition of BAL were delighted with their victory and returned to Cairo with pride. The tournament was a success for its organizers, sponsors and supporters.

Nevertheless, it is necessary to recognize that there is indeed a skills gap compared to foreign leagues. Many improvements are needed at the local level. There is also a need for input from government officials and private sector sponsorship. Thus enabling much-needed economic growth and infrastructure development on the continent. The league has the potential to change the global basketball landscape.