2025 BAL season

Last updated

2025 BAL season
League Basketball Africa League
Sport Basketball
Duration4 April – 25 May 2024 (group phase)
6 – 14 June 2025 (playoffs)
Number of games48
Number of teams12
Seasons
2026 →

The 2025 BAL season, also known as BAL Season 5, will be the 5th season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The season will begin on 5 April and end on 14 June 2024 with the final. [1] The playoffs and finals will be held in Pretoria, South Africa, for the first time. [2]

Contents

Petro de Luanda are the defending champions, having won the previous season. The winners will earn the right to play in the 2025 FIBA Intercontinental Cup.

Venues

The Moroccan Royal Basketball Federation (FRMBB) announced on 12 November 2024 that Rabat would be one of the host cities of the first phase of the 2025 season. [3]

On 21 November 2024, the BAL announced that the group phase would be hosted in three countries, as the Nile Conference is hosted at the Salle Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, Morocco, the Sahara Conference in Dakar Arena, Dakar, Senegal, and the Kalahari Conference in the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda. [1] The playoffs and final will be played in the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa. [1]

Qualification

The number of directly qualified teams changed from the previous four seasons, as the BAL now allocated eight direct slots to designated leagues and markets. As such, the champions of Morocco were given a direct spot in the tournament, while only four [2] teams would qualify through the Road to BAL. [4] FIBA Africa had reported that the champions of South Africa received direct qualification, [5] and this was effectively honored when South African champions MBB were given a wild card spot.

Teams

The defending champions Petro de Luanda were the first team to qualify, as they won the 2023–24 Angolan Basketball League on 12 May 2024 to qualify for a record-extending fifth season in a row. [6] Al Ittihad Alexandria will make its debut, becoming the third Egyptian club to play in the league and it is the greatest Egyptian basketball club in history. [7] ASCVD became the third Senegalese club to qualify following their Nationale 1 title. [8] MBB from South Africa was announced on 12 January 2025 as the last representative, after they were given a wild card. [9]

The season had six debuting teams, setting a new record. [10]

Method of qualification and statistics

TeamMethod of qualificationDate of qualificationApp.Previous yearCons.Best performanceRef.
Flag of Angola.svg Petro de Luanda 2023–24 Angolan Basketball League champions12 May 20245th 2024 5Champions (2024) [6]
Flag of Egypt.svg Al Ittihad Alexandria 2023–24 Egyptian Basketball Premier League champions13 June 20241st—1— [7]
Flag of Tunisia.svg US Monastir 2023–24 Championnat Pro A champions27 June 20245th 2024 5Champions (2022) [11]
Flag of Senegal.svg ASCVD 2024 Nationale 1 champions27 June 20241st—1— [8]
Flag of Rwanda.svg APR 2024 RBL season champions23 September 20242nd 2024 2Group stage (2024) [12]
Flag of Nigeria.svg Rivers Hoopers 2024 NBBF Premier League champions19 November 20243rd 2024 2Third Place (2024) [13]
Flag of Morocco.svg FUS Rabat 2023–24 Division Excellence champions10 July 20242nd 2024 2Quarterfinalist (2024) [14]
Flag of Libya.svg Al Ahli Tripoli Road to BAL West Division winners9 November 20241st—1— [15]
Flag of Mali.svg Stade Malien Road to BAL West Division runners-up9 November 20242nd—2Third Place (2023) [16]
Flag of Cape Verde.svg Kriol Star Road to BAL East Division finalist2 December 20241st—1— [17]
Flag of Kenya.svg Nairobi City Thunder Road to BAL East Division finalist2 December 20241st—1— [18]
Flag of South Africa.svg MBB Wild card 12 January 20251st—1— [9]

Personnel

TeamHead coachCaptain
Al Ahli Tripoli Flag of Libya.svg Fouad Chakra
Al Ittihad Alexandria Flag of Egypt.svg Ahmed Omar Flag of Egypt.svg Ahmed El Sabbagh
ASCVD Flag of Senegal.svg Libasse Faye
APR
FUS Rabat Flag of Morocco.svg Said El Bouzidi Flag of Morocco.svg Abdelhakim Zouita
Kriol Star Flag of Portugal.svg Hugo Salgado Flag of Cape Verde.svg Joel Almeida
MBB Flag of the United States.svg Sam Vincent [19]
Nairobi City Thunder Flag of the United States.svg Brad Ibs Flag of Kenya.svg Tylor Ongwae
Petro de Luanda Flag of Spain.svg Sergio Valdeolmillos Flag of Angola.svg Childe Dundão
Rivers Hoopers Flag of Nigeria.svg Ogoh Odaudu Flag of Nigeria.svg Onyebuchi Nwaiwu
Stade Malien Flag of Mali.svg Boubacar Kanouté Flag of Mali.svg Mahamane Coulibaly
US Monastir Flag of Egypt.svg Mohamed Kerdani Flag of Tunisia.svg Mokhtar Ghyaza

Pre-season

As the champions of the 2024 BAL season, Petro de Luanda played in the 2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup in September 2024. They finished in fifth place. [20]

Schedule

The full schedule for the season was officially released on 21 November 2024. [1]

PhaseRoundGames
Qualifying rounds

(Road to BAL)

First Round8 October – 1 November 2024
Elite 165 November – 3 December 2024
Group phaseNile Conference5 – 13 April 2025
Sahara Conference26 April – 5 May 2025
Kalahari Conference17 – 25 May 2025
Seeding games6 –14 June 2025
PlayoffsQuarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final and third place

Group phase

The group phase is played between 5 April and 25 May 2024. The twelve teams of the group phase are allocated into three conferences. The BAL announced the official schedule on 28 February 2025. [10]

Tiebreakers

The ranking of teams in the regular season was determined as follows: [21] [22]

  1. Win-loss record;
  2. Head-to-head record;
  3. Point differential in the games between the respective teams;
  4. Number of points scored in the games between the respective teams;
  5. Average point differential in all games against other teams in the Conference;
  6. Average number of points scored in all games played against other teams in the Conference;
  7. Drawing.

Nile Conference

PosTeam
PldWLGFGAGDPCTQualification FUS SMB RIV AIA
1 Flag of Morocco.svg FUS Rabat (H)202000.000Advance to playoffs — 71–80
2 Flag of Mali.svg Stade Malien 202000.000— 61–80 69–72
3 Flag of Nigeria.svg Rivers Hoopers 2200001.000Possibly advance to the playoffs 88–82 —
4 Flag of Egypt.svg Al Ittihad Alexandria 2200001.000—
First match(es) will be played: unknown. Source: BAL
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts

Sahara Conference

PosTeam
PldWLGFGAGDPCTQualification AVD BBB CCC DDD
1 Flag of Senegal.svg ASCVD (H)000000—Advance to playoffs —
2 Flag of Cape Verde.svg Kriol Star 000000——
3 Flag of Angola.svg Petro de Luanda 000000—Possibly advance to the playoffs —
4 Flag of Tunisia.svg US Monastir 000000——
First match(es) will be played: unknown. Source: BAL
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts

Kalahari Conference

PosTeam
PldWLGFGAGDPCTQualification APR BBB CCC DDD
1 Flag of Rwanda.svg APR 000000—Advance to playoffs —
2 Flag of South Africa.svg MBB 000000——
3 Flag of Libya.svg Al Ahli Tripoli 000000—Possibly advance to the playoffs —
4 Flag of Kenya.svg Nairobi City Thunder 000000——
First match(es) will be played: unknown. Source: BAL
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Ranking of third-placed teams

PosGrpTeam
PldWLPFPAPDPCTQualification
1 Sahara Flag placeholder.svg000000—Advance to playoffs
2 Kalahari Flag placeholder.svg000000—
3 Nile Flag placeholder.svg000000—
Source: BAL

Playoffs

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 "BAL To Tip Off Milestone Fifth Season on April 5 in Morocco". The BAL. 21 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
    2. 1 2 "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.
    3. ↑ Essassi, Donya (13 November 2024). "Morocco to Host 2025 Basketball Africa League". Barlaman Today. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
    4. ↑ "Overview - FIBA Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L 2025 | FIBA.basketball". www.fiba.basketball. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
    5. ↑ "Overview - FIBA Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L 2025 | FIBA.basketball". www.fiba.basketball. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
    6. 1 2 Da Silva, Juscelino (12 May 2024). "Jornal de Angola - Notícias - Basquetebol: Petro de Luanda revalida título e conquista o Penta". Jornal de Angola (in Portuguese). Retrieved 13 May 2024.
    7. 1 2 "الاتحاد السكندري يهزم الأهلي ويتوج بلقب دوري السوبر لكرة السلة". btolat.com (in Arabic). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
    8. 1 2 "Finale - N1 Masculin : L'ASCVD remporte son premier titre de champion de son histoire en dominant le DUC (65-45)" (in French). 28 July 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
    9. 1 2 MBB Basketball [@mbb_basketball] (12 January 2025). "MBB at BAL 2025! We have a lot of work to do and are beyond ready to put in all that work. Proud to be representing South Africa this season. It's going to be a good year. Let's do this!" – via Instagram.
    10. 1 2 "2025 BAL SEASON TO FEATURE RECORD SIX NEW TEAMS". The BAL. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
    11. ↑ "Basketball : Union sportive monastirienne championne de Tunisie". Réalités Online. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
    12. ↑ Sikubwabo, Damas (23 September 2024). "PHOTOS: APR see off Patriots in Game 6, win record 15th championship". The New Times. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
    13. ↑ "Rivers Hoopers are the 2024 Nigeria League champions". www.fiba.basketball. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
    14. ↑ "Overview - FIBA Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L 2025 | FIBA.basketball". www.fiba.basketball. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
    15. ↑ "Murphy's 34 points send Al Ahli Tripoli to the 2025 BAL". www.fiba.basketball. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
    16. ↑ "Stade Malien outpace KSA, qualify for the 2025 BAL". www.fiba.basketball. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
    17. ↑ "Short-handed Kriol Star stun star-studded Urunani, qualify for BAL 2025". www.fiba.basketball. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
    18. ↑ "Nairobi City Thunder becomes first Kenyan team to qualify for the BAL". www.fiba.basketball. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
    19. ↑ MBB Basketball [@mbb_basketball] (4 February 2025). "MBB welcomes Sam Vincent! Sam Vincent, a former NBA champion and well established international coach with incredible impact over many years, is joining Team MBB as head coach for BAL Season 5! Sam has a deep love for our country and continent, and is ready to bring his invaluable experience and passion for the game to our players and team. GHIV US Everything you've got Coach! Let's go! #iTeamYaseDladleni #GHIVUS #MadeByBall" – via Instagram.
    20. ↑ "Classification games decided in the clutch: Drmic wins it for JackJumpers, Diabate for Luanda". www.fiba.basketball. 15 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
    21. ↑ "What can happen on the last day of the 2023 Sahara Conference?". The BAL. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
    22. ↑ "Who will clinch the last two tickets for the 2024 BAL Playoffs?". The BAL. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
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