The Progress of BAL’s Sahara Conference in Dakar

The AS BAL’s Sahara Conference in Senegal is in full swing at the Dakar Arena, with professional basketball clubs from Senegal, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Tunisia battling it out for direct playoff berths. Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers have been dominating the conference standings with three consecutive victories in the group stage.

Their latest win was a commanding 84-63 triumph over Tunisia’s US Monastir, following previous victories against Rwanda’s APR and hosts AS Douanes. The Hoopers head into the second half of the group stage unbeaten and full of confidence.

NBA Africa attributed the success of the Hoopers to excellent team organization, with standout performances from players like Kelvin Amayo, Devine Eke, Will Perry, and Peter Olisemeka. Rwanda’s APR is closely behind the Hoopers in the standings, securing the second spot after a hard-fought victory over hosts AS Douanes.

Despite a slow start, 2022 BAL champions US Monastir have yet to secure a win in this year’s season, placing them at the bottom of the standings. Guard Oussama Marnaogui acknowledged the tough competition and gaps in the team as reasons for their poor performance.

As the conference moves into the second round of matches, all eyes are on hosts AS Douanes to improve upon their third-place standing. With a packed schedule ahead, including matchups against top teams like APR, Hoopers, and US Monastir, AS Douanes faces immense pressure to deliver results on home turf.

The playoffs in Kigali await the top teams from each conference, along with the best third-placed teams, promising an intense and thrilling conclusion to the AS BAL’s Sahara Conference.