2023 BAL season: Defending champions US Monastir look to build on Intercontinental Cup experience
12 clubs from 12 countries feature in the third season of the Basketball Africa League kicking off on 11 March.
Basketball
The 2023 Basketball Africa League (BAL) will see 12 clubs from 12 African nations compete in 38 games over three months.
The third season kicks off on Saturday (11 March) with Senegal’s AS Dounes playing event debutant’s Cote d’Ivoire’s Abidjan basketball Club at the Dakar Arena.
Defending BAL Champions US Monastir are set to open their title defence on Sunday (12 March) against Stade Malien, another first-timer at the BAL.
The Tunisian champions are still fresh from competing at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Tenerife, Spain, where they lost two games to finish fourth.
US Monastir captain Radhoune Slimane is choosing to focus on the positives: “It was a big experience to play against teams in this level. Tenerife is one of the best teams in Europe very athletic. We are African champions, but the level is different,” Slimane told FIBA.com.
“[Playing here] is a great experience for African teams to come close and compete with teams at this level, to develop and progress.”
2023 Basketball Africa League: Can the Tunisian champions defend their title?
It’s been an unusual start to the season for the reigning BAL champions, featuring in a top-tier competition in February. The seven-time Tunisian champions didn’t have the best of starts as they rushed through the preparations and lacked two of their top players for the Intercontinental Cup that ended on 12 February.
It was evident in their 42-112 loss to the eventual Cup winners Tenerife, but there was a significant improvement in their 84-107 defeat to NBA G league team Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
The second African team to compete at the Intercontinental Cup will be looking to build on the lessons from Tenerife when they open their campaign in Dakar.
For Slimane, BAL is another big platform to show their potential.
"Each player got a chance to show themselves to the world, to play at a high level and possibly go to the NBA or a high level in Europe," he told FIBA.com.
“Year after year, BAL showed that it's going to be a big league, and it's very important for the continent, because Africa has a lot of talent and can bring dominant players in the NBA or Europe. - US Monastir captain Radhoune Slimane to FIBA.com
Five debutants in the 2023 BAL season
US Monastir, who beat Petro de Luanda in the 2022 BAL finals in Kigali, is among five teams that return to competition from last year’s season.
They will be joined by five debutants: Abidjan Basket Club (Cote d’Ivoire) - coached by the only lady head coach in the league Liz Mills, Al Ahly (Egypt), City Oilers (Uganda), Kwara Falcons (Nigeria) and Stade Malien (Mali).
Senegal’s AS Douanes returns to the BAL after participating in the inaugural season in 2021.
2023 BAL season: Dates and venues
The clubs will once again play in two conferences: the Sahara and Nile Conference.
The Sahara conference, which includes the 2022 winners, tips off 2023 BAL action at the Dakar Arena from 11-21 March, while the Nile Conference group matches will be played at the Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo from 26 April - 6 May 6.
The top four teams from the two conferences will qualify for the BAL Playoffs and Finals, which will feature a single-elimination tournament at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, from 21-27 May.
2023 BAL season: Sahara conference teams
- Abidjan Basket Club (Cote d’Ivoire)
- AS Douanes (Senegal) Kwara Falcons (Nigeria)
- Rwanda Energy Group -REG (Rwanda)
- Stade Malien (Mali)
- Union Sportive Monastirienne -US Monastir (Tunisia)
2023 BAL season: Nile Conference teams
- Al Ahly (Egypt)
- Cape Town Tigers (South Africa)
- City Oilers (Uganda)
- Club Ferroviario de Beira-CFV Beira (Mozambique)
- Club Atletico petroleos de Luanda (Angola)
- Seydou Legacy Athletique Club- SLAC (Guinea)