2024 BAL season

The 2024 BAL season, also known as BAL Season 4, will be the 4th season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The season will begin on 9 March 2024 and will finish with the final on 1 June 2024, which will be played in the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, for a fourth consecutive season.^[1]

2024 BAL season
League	Basketball Africa League
Season	2024
Dates	9 March – 1 June 2024^[a]
Number of games	48
Number of teams	12
Seasons
← 2023 (Season 3) 2025 (Season 5) →

This season the league was expanded to 48 games, and from two conferences to three conferences, as South Africa will host the inaugural Kalahari Conference.^[2]

Al Ahly are the defending champions, having won the previous edition.

Venues

On 19 June 2023, the BAL and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) announced they agreed on a multi-year extension to their collaboration. Under the extension, it was agreed that the BK Arena in Kigali will host the playoffs and finals in the 2024, 2026 and 2028 seasons.^[1]

On 5 January 2024, the host venues and schedule were announced. The SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa, will be the fourth arena to host BAL games.^[3]

Format changes

The BAL expanded the total games in the season from 38 to 48. In the group phase, there will now be three conferences as the Kalahari Conference will be held in South Africa. The number of teams in the conferences is decreased to four, with all teams playing each other twice. The top two teams and the two best third-placed teams advance to the playoffs. Before the playoffs, the eight teams will play seeding teams to determine their opponents in the single-elimination playoffs. This was the second time the match-ups in the playoffs were determined on seeding, as this was last done in the inaugural season.^[2]

Qualification

Qualified teams

The six directly qualified teams were the champions of the national leagues of six pre-selected countries. The other six team qualified through the Road to BAL.

Directly Qualified (6)   Al Ahly   Petro de Luanda   US Monastir   APR   AS Douanes   Rivers Hoopers

Road to BAL (6)   Bangui Sporting Club   FUS Rabat   Al Ahly Benghazi   City Oilers   Cape Town Tigers   Dynamo

Road to BAL

Main article: 2024 BAL qualification

The Road to BAL began on 3 October and ended on 26 November 2023. On 21 September 2023, FIBA announced the 20 teams that had registered to play in the first round, which is played in five groups.^[4] The final phase of the West Division was organised in Yaoundé for a third time, and Johannesburg hosted the East Division finals once again. Chad was represented for the first time in tournament history.

Teams

 

 

AS Douanes

 

Al Ahly

 

Monastir

 

Petro

 

APR

 

Rivers Hoopers

 

FUS Rabat

 

Benghazi

 

Bangui

 

Dynamo

 

Cape Town

 

City Oilers

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Location of teams of the 2024 BAL season main tournament.
  Yellow: Savannah Conference;   Green: Nile Conference;   Red: Kalahari Conference.

Petro de Luanda were the first team to qualify, as they won the 2022–23 Angolan Basketball League on 19 April 2023.^[5]

APR, Al Ahly Benghazi, Bangui Sporting Club, Dynamo and FUS Rabat will make their BAL debuts. Al Ahly Benghazi, Bangui Sporting Club and Dynamo are the first teams from Libya, the Central African Republic, and Burundi, respectively, to play in the BAL.

Team	Method of qualification	Date of qualification	BAL appearance	Previous appearance	Consecutive appearances	Previous best performance	Ref.
Petro de Luanda	2022–23 Angolan League champions	19 April 2023	4th	2023	4	Runners-up (2022)	^[5]
Al Ahly	2022–23 Egyptian Premier League champions	15 May 2023	2nd	2023	2	Champions (2023)	^[6]
US Monastir	2022–23 Championnat Pro A champions	27 May 2023	4th	2023	4	Champions (2022)	^[7]
APR	2023 RBL season champions	9 September 2023	1st	—	1	—	^[8]
AS Douanes	2023 Nationale 1 champions	17 September 2023	3rd	2023	2	Runners-up (2023)	^[9]
Bangui Sporting Club	Road to BAL West Division champions	4 November 2023	1st	—	1	—	^[10]
FUS Rabat	Road to BAL West Division runners-up	4 November 2023	1st	—	1	—	^[11]
Al Ahly Benghazi	Road to BAL West Division third place	5 November 2023	1st	—	1	—	^[12]
City Oilers	Road to BAL East Division runners-up	25 November 2023	2nd	2023	2	Group phase (2023)	^[13]
Cape Town Tigers	Road to BAL East Division champions	25 November 2023	3rd	2023	3	Quarterfinals (2022, 2023)	^[14]
Rivers Hoopers	2023 NBBF Premier League champions	25 November 2023	2nd	2021	1	Group phase (2021)	^[15]
Dynamo	Road to BAL East Division third place	26 November 2023	1st	—	1	—	^[16]

Personnel

As of 26 November 2023.

Team	Head coach	Captain
Al Ahly	Augustí Julbe^[17]	Seif Samir
Al Ahly Benghazi	Aoun Monaem
APR	Maz Trakh	Jean Jacques Nshobozwa
AS Douanes	Pabi Guèye	Alkaly Ndour
Bangui Sporting Club	Liz Mills	Max Kouguère
Cape Town Tigers	Mlungisi Ngwenya
City Oilers	Andrew Tendo^[18]
Dynamo	Julien Chaignot^[19]	Alvin Ninziza
FUS Rabat	Said El Bouzidi
Petro de Luanda	José Neto^[20]	Carlos Morais
Rivers Hoopers	Ogoh Odaudu
US Monastir	Adel Tlatli^[21]

Foreign and Elevate players

Each BAL team was allowed to have four foreign players on its roster, including only two non-African players. Players in italics were signed only for the playoffs. If players have multiple nationalities, the nationality of an African nation is shown.

Each team will also have one player from the NBA Academy Africa, under the BAL Elevate program.

Team	Players						Elevate player
	1	2	3	4	–
Al Ahly
Al Ahly Benghazi	Jesse Jones^[22]	Jo Lual-Acuil^[23]	Pierre Jackson^[24]	Kevin Murphy^[25]	Majok Deng^[26]
APR	Dario Hunt^[27]	Zion Styles^[28]	Michael Dixon^[29]
AS Douanes	Abdoulaye Harouna^[30]
Bangui Sporting Club
Cape Town Tigers
City Oilers
Dynamo	Dhieu Deing^[19]	Morakinyo Williams^[31]	Bryton Hobbs^[32]
FUS Rabat	Aliou Diarra^[33]	Ken Brown^[34]
Petro de Luanda
Rivers Hoopers
US Monastir	Ater Majok^[35]

Notes

Pre-season

For a second consecutive season, the BAL champions directly qualified for the FIBA Intercontinental Cup. At the 2023 Singapore edition, Al Ahly represented the league. Al Ahly finished in the fourth place, after previously beating the NBA G League Ignite to become the first African team to win a game in the competition's history.

The league hosted the third BAL Combine at the Ibn Yassine Omnisports Hall in Rabat, Morocco, between 5 January and 7 January 2024. It was the first combine to be held on the African continent, after the previous editions were hosted in Paris and New York.^[3] A total of 30 players participated under combine director Robert Pack.^[3]

Schedule

The schedule for the 2024 season was officially released on 5 January 2024.^[3]

Phase	Round	Draw date	Games
Qualifying rounds (Road to BAL)	First Round	–	3 – 23 October 2023
	Elite 16	23 October 2023	31 October – 26 November 2023
Regular season	Kalahari Conference	–	9 – 17 March 2024
	Nile Conference		19 – 27 April 2024
	Sahara Conference		4 – 12 May 2024
Seeding games			24 May – 1 June 2024
Playoffs	Quarter-finals
	Semi-finals
	Final and third place

Group phase

The group phase will be played between 9 March and 12 May 2024. The 12 teams of the group phase are divided into three conferences. In addition to the Sahara Conference and Nile Conference, the inaugural Kalahari Conference will take place.

Tiebreakers

The ranking of teams in the regular season is determined as follows:^[36] Win-loss record; Head-to-head record; Point differential in the games between the respective teams; Number of points scored in the games between the respective teams; Average point differential in all games against other teams in the Conference; Average number of points scored in all games played against other teams in the Conference; Drawing.

Kalahari Conference

Main article: 2024 BAL Kalahari Conference

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		CTT	FUS	PDL	DYN
1	Cape Town Tigers (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to playoffs		—
2	FUS Rabat	0	0	0	0	0	0	0				—
3	Petro de Luanda	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Possibly advance to the playoffs				—
4	Dynamo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0						—

First match(es) will be played: 9 March 2024. Source: BAL
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts

Nile Conference

Main article: 2024 BAL Nile Conference

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		ASC	AHB	COB	BSC
1	Al Ahly (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to playoffs		—
2	Al Ahly Benghazi	0	0	0	0	0	0	0				—
3	City Oilers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Possibly advance to the playoffs				—
4	Bangui Sporting Club	0	0	0	0	0	0	0						—

First match(es) will be played: 19 April 2024. Source: BAL
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts

Sahara Conference

Main article: 2024 BAL Sahara Conference

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		ASD	APR	USM	RIV
1	AS Douanes	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to playoffs		—
2	APR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0				—
3	US Monastir	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Possibly advance to the playoffs				—
4	Rivers Hoopers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0						—

First match(es) will be played: 4 May 2024. Source: BAL
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Ranking of third-placed teams

Pos	Grp	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Kalahari	Kalahari Conference third-ranked team	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to playoffs
2	Nile	Nile Conference third-ranked team	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Sahara	Sahara Conference third-ranked team	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Source: BAL

Seeding games

The seeding games between the eight teams that advanced from the group phase, will be held on 24 May in the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.^[2] This is the first year in which seeding games are played.

Playoffs

The playoffs and finals will be held from 24 May to 1 June 2024 in the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.^[2]

Notes

1. The qualification rounds began on 3 October 2023 and ended 20 November 2023.

References

1. "Basketball Africa League and Rwanda Development Board announce multi-year extension to play BAL games in Kigali". NBA.com: NBA Communications. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
2. "BAL Expands to South Africa for Fourth Season tipping off in March 2024". The BAL. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
3. "Basketball Africa League announces host cities, venues and dates for 2024 regular season tipping off March 9 in Pretoria, South Africa". NBA.com. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
4. "Schedule and venues confirmed for the 2023 Road to BAL". FIBA.basketball. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
5. da Silva, Juscelino (20 April 2023). "Petro de Luanda conquista 16º título". Jornal de Angola (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 April 2023.
6. "الخطيب يهنئ لاعبي السلة وجهازهم الفني والإداري والطبي ببطولة دوري السوبر". Al Ahly (in Arabic). 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
7. "African Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings". www.afrobasket.com. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
8. "PHOTOS: Basketball: APR clinch first championship in 14 years". 9 September 2023.
9. "Championne du Sénégal après son succès sur la JA (64-56), l'AS Douanes retourne à la BAL !". Basketsenegal (in French). 17 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
10. "Bangui stun star-studded Benghazi to book first-ever BAL ticket". FIBA.basketball. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
11. "FUS Rabat clinch BAL ticket". FIBA.basketball. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
12. "Al Ahly Benghazi pick last ticket from the West Division to the BAL 2024 season". FIBA.basketball. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
13. "City Oilers first team to book 2024 BAL slot in Joburg". FIBA.basketball. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
14. "Nkosinathi Sibanyoni powers Cape Town Tigers to 2024 BAL". FIBA.basketball. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
15. Busari, Niyi. "Rivers Hoopers Crowned NBBF Final 4 Champions, Pick BAL Ticket". BSN Sports. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
16. "Dynamo outlast COSPN, secure last BAL ticket". FIBA.basketball. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
17. "Al Ahly Extend Augustí's Contract For 2 More Years". Al Ahly. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
18. "Tendo, Koma appointed City Oilers' coaches". MTN Sports. 23 December 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
19. @dynamobasketballclub (24 January 2024). "News: @dhieudeng the south Sudanese shooting guard has arrived in Bujumbura after the coach @julienchaignot and the player @thelionkillaa are already here as our recruits for @thebal . Other new recruits are expected to arrive next week to complete our roster. Welcome @dhieudeng 💚🤍" – via Instagram.
20. "José Neto renova contrato com o Petro de Luanda". Databasket (in Brazilian Portuguese). 6 August 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
21. "Basket : l'USMO a un nouveau coach". Sport News Africa (in French). 8 December 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
22. Hamid Addasi, Abdul (19 January 2024). "Jesse Jones (ex Hoops) signs at Ahly Benghazi". Afrobasket.com. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
23. Hamid Addasi, Abdul (22 February 2024). "Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (ex Melbourne) signs at Ahly Benghazi". Afrobasket.com.
24. Hamid Addasi, Abdul (22 February 2024). "Pierre Jackson (ex Nanjing MK) signs at Ahly Benghazi". Afrobasket.com. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
25. Hamid Addasi, Abdul (22 February 2024). "Kevin Murphy (ex Ittihad) is a newcomer at Ahly Benghazi". Afrobasket.com. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
26. Hamid Addasi, Abdul (22 February 2023). "Ahly Benghazi inks Majok Deng". Afrobasket.com. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
27. Sikubwabo, Damas (4 January 2024). "APR sign American center Dario Hunt ahead of BAL". The New Times. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
28. Sikubwabo, Damas (6 December 2023). "American guard Zion Styles joins APR ahead of BAL 2024". The New Times. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
29. Sikubwabo, Damas (7 December 2023). "APR enter residential camp ahead of BAL 2024". The New Times. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
30. "Basketball : L'AS Douanes s'offre l'arrière nigérien Abdoulaye Harouna" (in French). 28 December 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
31. @dynamobasketballclub (26 January 2024). "@kinyowilliams the British big man has arrived today in Bujumbura. He is our third recruitment for the BAL so far. He plays at the center position and is here to bring his experience in basketball to the team at @thebal" – via Instagram.
32. @dynamobasketballclub (27 January 2024). "The point guard @iso.hov has arrived in Bujumbura as our fourth recruit for @thebal . Welcome 💚🤍" – via Instagram.
33. "FUS Rabat inks Aliou Diarra". Afrobasket.com. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
34. @fusbasketball (19 January 2024). "Welcome to our new signing. Ken Brown officially in town" – via Instagram.
35. Hamid Addasi, Abdul (22 February 2024). "Majok comes back to US Monastir, ex Sagesse". Afrobasket.com. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
36. "What can happen on the last day of the 2023 Sahara Conference?". The BAL. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.