by Emmanuel Atanga | Oct 14, 2024 | Africa, Basketball, Ghana, Other Sports
Spintex Knights Basketball Club has made history by becoming the first team from Ghana to qualify for the Elite 16 stage of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), a tournament organized in partnership with the NBA and FIBA. Despite challenges in the preliminary round held in Libya, the Greater Accra Basketball League champions secured their spot with a key victory over Elan Coton Benin.
Although they lost to Liberia’s Mighty Barolle and Ivory Coast’s ABC Fighters, their overall performance ensured qualification. The team now looks ahead to the Elite 16 round, scheduled for November 5-10 in Côte d’Ivoire, as they aim to make further strides in the tournament.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Oct 11, 2024 | Africa, Basketball
NBA Africa, in partnership with Opportunity International, has announced plans to build 100 basketball courts across Kenya over the next decade. This initiative aims to strengthen local basketball ecosystems and support youth development by offering not only physical spaces to play but also training programs for coaches and teachers. The program will equip them with skills in coaching, refereeing, and event management, ensuring holistic development for young athletes.
At the core of this initiative is the Jr. NBA program, which teaches basketball fundamentals and important life values such as teamwork and perseverance. With over 170,000 African youth reached last year, the program continues to have a significant impact. The new courts in Nairobi will provide safe spaces for young players to hone their skills and grow as future leaders.
NBA leaders, including Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum and former player Derek Fisher, emphasized the transformative potential of sports, highlighting how this project will inspire and uplift Africa’s youth.
by Silas Boahene | Apr 23, 2024 | Africa, Basketball, International, Nigeria, USA
The Basketball Africa League (BAL) is now in its fourth season and has become a must-attend event on the continental basketball scene, with interest in the league continuing to grow among sports enthusiasts.
It’s a boon for the continent’s talents, such as Thierry Darlan, a young Central African who graduated from the NBA Academy in Dakar.
“It’s really good for African basketball. As you can see, there are a lot of people here, and they’re talking about it everywhere. Even the Americans I played for say that basketball in Africa is evolving a lot more because there are prospects arriving, there’s Kaman, there’s El Weish, and lots of others. So it’s good exposure for young Africans,” says the Bangui SC player.
But beyond shaping the dreams of these young basketball players, the BAL gives another dimension to African basketball. The players involved are almost unanimous that the competition is revolutionizing the sport in several ways.
For example, the African champion, winner of the Basketball Africa League, made a good showing at the 2023 Intercontinental Cup, winning the competition for the first time in its history.
“Our national teams who took part in the World Cup also showed a high level of basketball for the first time. And this is part of our expectations of the Basketball Africa League. This is what we expect from the Africa Basketball League,” explains Hesham Elhariri, President of FIBA Africa Zone V.
Yet the revolution set in motion by the BAL goes beyond the championship. As well as providing support to the federations, the League is also making a difference in terms of infrastructure, in addition to its economic contribution. Last year alone, it brought in more than 3 billion CFA francs (5 million dollars) to Senegal through transport, hotels, shows, and many other sectors.
“Today, African talent can be identified on the continent, develop on the continent, and play professionally without having to leave the continent. And if we look, for example, at the partnership with the Rwanda Development Board, which has been renewed for 5 years, it means that there is a real impact on the economy and on that country’s objective of promoting Rwanda as a destination. We want to do the same thing in Senegal and South Africa,” explains Amadou Gallo Fall, President of the African Basketball League.
Africanews correspondent Wahany Sambo reports that the Basketball Africa League is today more than just a sport. “It’s social, it’s training, but above all it’s opportunities for young Africans to express their talent and open themselves up to the world,” says Sambo.
by Silas Boahene | Jan 1, 2024 | Basketball, Other Sports, USA
The Detroit Pistons made NBA history by ending their record-tying 28-game losing streak with a hard-fought 129-127 victory over the short-handed Toronto Raptors. Cade Cunningham led the way with an impressive performance, contributing 30 points and 12 assists.
Having not secured a win since October 28, the Pistons equaled the Philadelphia 76ers’ record of 28 consecutive losses, a mark set between the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. This losing streak stands as the most in a single NBA campaign, falling just one short of the record across the four major American and Canadian leagues, established by the Chicago Cardinals during World War II.
Cade Cunningham expressed his elation, stating, “I feel amazing. We just kept battling. It’s been a long stretch, all these losses, but I’m just happy to be part of a group of guys who don’t quit.”
Jalen Duren played a crucial role for the Pistons with 18 points and 17 rebounds, while Kevin Knox II contributed 17 points.
Facing the short-handed Raptors, who traded key players earlier in the day, Toronto’s Pascal Siakam delivered an impressive 35-point performance, and Dennis Schroder added 28 points.
The Pistons maintained control, leading 90-86 going into the fourth quarter. The game remained competitive until back-to-back 3-pointers by Cunningham and Jaden Ivey widened the gap to 110-99 with 5:50 remaining. Although the Raptors mounted a late comeback, Cunningham’s clutch plays secured the Pistons’ long-awaited victory.
Pistons coach Monty Williams expressed his joy, stating, “I’ve been in a ton of locker rooms my whole life, but that’s a first for me. Guys were screaming. I was almost in tears. I’m just so happy for our guys and for everyone in the locker room.
