RSSB Tigers BBC moved closer to the BAL 2026 semi-finals after overpowering Morocco’s FUS Rabat 95-72 in the first leg of the Basketball Africa League quarter-finals played on Friday night at BK Arena in Kigali.
The highly anticipated encounter attracted thousands of basketball fans who filled the over 10,000-seat arena, with President Paul Kagame among those in attendance as Rwanda’s representatives delivered a dominant performance on home court.
American guard Leonard Randall led the charge for RSSB Tigers with a game-high 38 points, while Ntore Habimana added 13 points and Ndayisaba Dieudonne contributed 10 points. The Kigali-based side controlled much of the game with strong defense, quick transitions, and efficient shooting that kept FUS Rabat under pressure throughout.
The result gives RSSB Tigers a 23-point advantage heading into the return leg scheduled for Sunday at BK Arena. FUS Rabat will now need to overturn the deficit by winning with a margin greater than 23 points to qualify for the semi-finals, while RSSB Tigers only need to avoid a heavy defeat to progress.
RSSB Tigers head coach Henry Dennis Mwenuka praised the performance but warned that the tie is far from over.
“Yes, it is good to win by more than 20 points, but the job is not finished because there is still another game and anything can happen,” he said.
“We must stay focused because they can still come back strongly in the second leg.”
The atmosphere at BK Arena was further energized by halftime entertainment from Kenyan artist Bien-Aimé, who thrilled fans with popular hits including “Suzana” and “Ayayah,” featuring Rwandan producer Element Eleeh.
Earlier in the day, Senegal’s AS Ville de Dakar edged Egypt’s Al Ahly 93-90 in another tightly contested quarter-final clash. The Senegalese side, appearing in the BAL playoffs for the first time, will also look to complete the job in the return leg.
Quarter-final action continues on Saturday at BK Arena, with Tunisia’s Club Africain facing Al Ahly Libya before Angola’s Petro de Luanda takes on Tanzania’s Dar City.
Rwanda is hosting the BAL finals for the fifth time in six editions of the competition, further reinforcing Kigali’s status as a leading hub for African basketball.
Al Ahly Vs Ville de Dakar (AMAFOTO)
