BAL's Sahara Conference Tips Off in Morocco with Strong Opening Night

Pulse Sports Team 14:18 - 25 April 2026

The 2026 Basketball Africa League’s (BAL) Sahara Conference officially tipped off on Friday in Rabat, Morocco, delivering an exciting opening night as six teams began their quest for qualification to the BAL Playoffs in Kigali.

The opening game of the conference saw Club Africain (Tunisia) make a strong statement in their BAL debut, defeating ASC Ville de Dakar (Senegal) 85-79 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex.

Led by Omar Abada and Jesse Jones Jr., who scored 21 points each, the Tunisian team controlled much of the contest, using efficient perimeter shooting and outrebounding Dakar 42-33 to hold off a late push from the Senegalese champions. Samba Fall led Ville de Dakar with 20 points.

In the second game of the night, hosts FUS Rabat (Morocco) delivered a dominant 85-55 victory over BAL debutants JCA Kings (Côte d’Ivoire). FUS Rabat asserted control early, building a sizeable lead by halftime and maintaining their intensity on both ends of the floor to secure a convincing opening‑night win.

Abdoulaye Harouna led FUS with 16 points, with Anthony Pritchard adding 13 points and six rebounds. The result marked a confident start for the Moroccan champions in front of a packed home arena. Led by Jonathan Cisse, JCA Kings struggled offensively throughout the night, converting 34 percent of their field goal attempts.

The opening night results set the tone for what promises to be a highly competitive Sahara Conference, with four of the six teams advancing to the BAL Playoffs in Kigali. The Sahara Conference continues today, with Maktown Flyers (Nigeria) taking on JCA Kings at 3 p.m. GMT+1, and Club Africain facing ASC Ville de Dakar at 6 p.m. GMT+1.