RABAT, Morrocco, Apr 26 – The Basketball Africa League’s (BAL) Sahara Conference continued in Rabat, Morocco on Saturday with two competitive matchups that further shaped the early standings in the group phase.
In the opening game of the day, Nigeria’s Maktown Flyers secured their first-ever BAL victory, defeating fellow debutants JCA Kings of Côte d’Ivoire 76–68 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex.
The Flyers delivered a composed performance, led by Jawad Adekoya, who scored 20 points, as they controlled key stretches of the game to claim a landmark win in their inaugural BAL campaign.
The result handed JCA Kings a second consecutive defeat in the conference. The Kings were led by Jonathan Cisse who scored 15 points.
In the evening fixture, Club Africain (Tunisia) edged Al Ahly (Egypt) 69–68 in a tightly contested encounter, registering their second straight victory of the Sahara Conference.
Omar Abada led Club Africain once again, finishing with 25 points, four rebounds and seven assists, but it was Oussama Maranoui’s (17 points, five rebounds) three-pointer in the final seconds which sealed the W for the Tunisian champions.
Former NBA player Kevin Murphy led Al Ahly with 19 points and six rebounds.
The narrow win underscored Club Africain’s strong start to the tournament, as they demonstrated composure in the closing moments against one of the competition’s most experienced sides.
The result leaves Club Africain unbeaten after two games, while Al Ahly suffered a narrow setback in their opening outing of the conference.
With the group phase progressing, attention now turns to Sunday’s matchups, as the teams continue their push for a top‑four finish and qualification to the BAL Playoffs, set to take place from May 22-31 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda.
BAL Daily Episode 11
In the latest episode of BAL Daily, host Silalei Shani sits down with BAL veterans Ater Majok, Solo Diabate (Ville de Dakar) and Abdoulaye Harouna (FUS Rabat) as they reflect on the BAL journey.
Your BAL 2026 Season Media Resources
BAL 2026 Season: Schedule – Stats – Sahara Conference Standings
Sahara Conference Game Highlights: Maktown Flyers vs. JCA Kings I Club Africain vs. Al Ahly
Postgame media availability: Maktown Flyers vs. JCA Kings I Club African vs Al Ahly
