Al-Ahli Benghazi secured qualification for the finals of the sixth edition of the Basketball Africa League (BAL 6), set to kick off in Kigali, Rwanda, on May 22.
The team qualified after finishing third in the Pretoria qualifiers in South Africa, following their third victory against the host team, South Africa’s Giants, with a score of 110–72 (56–34 at halftime). South Sudan’s Jo Lual emerged as the star of the match, recording 21 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Despite a slow start; losing their first two games to Rwanda’s Tigers (103–95) and Angola’s Petro Atlético (104–90)—Al-Ahli Benghazi, runners-up of the 2024 edition, bounced back with consecutive wins over Tanzania’s Dar City (118–97) and Kenya’s Nairobi City Thunder (107–80).
The finals will take place in Kigali from May 22 to 31. For the first time, the competition will feature a home-and-away format in the knockout stage, with teams matched based on rankings: first vs. eighth, second vs. seventh, third vs. sixth, and fourth vs. fifth. The semifinals and final will be decided in a single game.
