The 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Nile Conference officially tipped off on Saturday, May 18, 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda, with a strong display of talent, intensity, and dominance from Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) and APR (Rwanda), both of whom opened their campaigns with two consecutive wins at the BK Arena.
Al Ahli Tripoli’s Boissy Headlines Day 1 with Deep Shooting
Al Ahli Tripoli began their journey with an 87-77 win over Made By Basketball (MBB) from South Africa. Leading the charge was Jean-Jacques Boissy, a former NBA Academy Africa standout, who exploded for 28 points including an astonishing 24 from three points range along with seven rebounds and three steals.
Supported by Jaylen Adams and Naseim Badrush, who combined for 30 points and eight rebounds, Al Ahli outmuscled MBB on the boards 51-37, collecting 21 offensive rebounds in the process.
Despite the defeat, MBB saw noteworthy contributions from Teafale Lenard Jr. (20 points, six rebounds), Robinson Opong (15 points), and Pieter Prinsloo (six points, five rebounds).
APR Dominates on Home Soil
APR (Rwanda) impressed in front of their home crowd with a comprehensive 92-63 victory over Kenya’s Nairobi City Thunder. Malian forward Aliou Diarra delivered a standout two-way performance with 21 points, 12 rebounds, six blocks, and four steals. Former NBA player Chasson Randle added 20 points as APR shot an efficient 52.3% from the field and registered 28 fast-break points in a well-rounded team effort.
Record-Breaking Day 2 for Al Ahli Tripoli
Al Ahli Tripoli made history on Day 2 by setting a new BAL single-game scoring record in a 115-87 rout of Nairobi City Thunder. Boissy was once again the centerpiece, scoring 30 points with six three-pointers, while Adams added 26 points and eight assists. The Libyan side continued its dominance on the boards with a 50-41 rebounding edge.
By beating Nairobi City Thunder 115-87 in Kigali, Al Ahli Tripoli have established a new record for the most points scored by a team in a single BAL game. The previous record was held by US Monastir, who defeated GNBC of Madagascar 113-66 on May 17, 2021.
For Nairobi, Uchenna Iroegbu led the response with 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, but the team was unable to match Al Ahli’s firepower.
APR Makes It Two in a Row
APR also continued their unbeaten start with a 103-81 win over MBB. Diarra remained consistent with another dominant outing: 22 points and 14 rebounds, including eight offensive boards. MBB, once again outrebounded 50-38, struggled to find rhythm offensively, shooting just over 35% from the field. Lenard Jr. scored 20 points, while Jovan Mooring and Pieter Prinsloo added 17 and 13 points respectively.
Looking Ahead: Clash of the Unbeaten
The action resumes on Tuesday, May 20, with MBB taking on Nairobi City Thunder at 4:00 p.m. CAT, followed by the much-anticipated matchup between the undefeated APR and Al Ahli Tripoli at 7:00 p.m. CAT.
The top two teams from the Nile Conference along with the best third-placed team between the Nile and Kalahari Conferences will qualify for the 2025 BAL Playoffs and Finals, set to take place at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa, from June 6 to 14.
As both APR and Al Ahli Tripoli chase perfection, Tuesday’s fixture could be a defining moment in the race to the postseason.
Highlights in Pictures: Key Moments from the Matches
