Rwanda’s RSSB Tigers today defeated Angola’s Petro de Luanda 90-88 to win the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Championship, which took place at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, and reached fans in 214 countries and territories. The Tigers are the first team from Rwanda to win the BAL Championship.
The 2026 BAL season set records across attendance, social media engagement, and partner support. More than 110,000 fans attended BAL games this season, including record attendance for the group phase games in South Africa and Morocco. The BAL generated a record of more than 1.1 billion views on social media this season, and a record 22 marketing, merchandising and institutional partners supported the league throughout the season.
Following the game, BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall and FIBA Africa President Anibal Manave presented the RSSB Tigers with the BAL Championship Trophy and Tigers guard Craig Randall II with The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy for winning the 2026 BAL Most Valuable Player Award. Randall recorded per game averages of 36.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists during the season, setting a BAL record for most points in game when he scored 54 points against Tanzania’s Dar City on April 4.
The Tigers went 6-2 during the Kalahari Conference group phase and Playoffs, defeating Morocco’s FUS Rabat and Egypt’s Al Ahly in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, to advance to the Championship. Libya’s Al Ahly Ly defeated Al Ahly 106-98 in the third-place game earlier today.
Notable attendees throughout the 2026 BAL Playoffs and Finals included NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum; FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis; NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi; Fall; Manave; Dallas Mavericks President and Alternate Governor Masai Ujiri; BAL Ambassadors Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Ian Mahinmi and Chiney Ogwumike; WNBA legend and Boston Celtics Vice President of Team Operations and Organizational Growth Allison Feaster; and former WNBA player and 2026 FIBA Hall of Fame inductee Clarisse Machanguana.
The BAL has also announced the Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sportsmanship Award winner, All-BAL First Team, All-BAL Second Team, All-BAL Defensive First Team, All-BAL Defensive Second Team and Ubuntu Award winner. The voting panels varied for each award and comprised fans, coaches, team captains, media, broadcasters, and scouts.
2026 BAL Coach of the Year
RSSB Tigers head coach Henry Mwinuka led the team to a 4-1 record and first-place finish in the Kalahari Conference group phase before leading the team to its first BAL Championship. Mwinuka is the first Tanzanian to win the award.
2026 BAL Defensive Player of the Year
RSSB Tigers center Mangok Mathiang received The Dikembe Mutombo Trophy after helping his team to a 7-2 record and recording per game averages of 16 points, 14.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
2026 BAL Sportsmanship Award
Al Ahly Ly point guard Mohamed Sadi received The Manute Bol Trophy for exemplifying the ideals of sportsmanship and camaraderie.
2026 BAL Ubuntu Trophy Presented by Qatar Foundation
On May 27, Nairobi City Thunder forward Ariel Koranga was honored with the 2026 BAL Ubuntu Award in recognition of his efforts in his native Kenya to use basketball to empower young women. Through a program that combines basketball training with mentorship, education, life skills and mental health support, he has reached more than 300 athletes across the country, including from underserved communities.
2026 All-BAL First Team
|
Position |
Player |
Team |
| Guard | Childe Dundão | Petro de Luanda |
| Guard | Craig Randall II | RSSB Tigers |
| Guard/Forward | Donovan Williams | Al Ahly Ly |
| Forward | Majok Deng | Al Ahly Ly |
| Forward/Center | Mangok Mathiang | RSSB Tigers |
2026 All-BAL Second Team
|
Position |
Player |
Team |
| Guard | Omar Abada | Club Africain |
| Guard | Zachary Lofton | Al Ahly |
| Guard/Forward | Kevin Murphy | Al Ahly |
| Forward | Aboubakar Gakou | Petro de Luanda |
| Forward/Center | Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. | Al Ahly Ly |
2026 All-BAL Defensive First Team
|
Position |
Player |
Team |
| Guard | Childe Dundão | Petro de Luanda |
| Guard | Mohamed Sadi | Al Ahly Ly |
| Guard/Forward | Aminu Mohammed | Club Africain |
| Forward | Mouhamadou Diagne | FUS Rabat |
| Forward/Center | Mangok Mathiang | RSSB Tigers |
2026 All-BAL Defensive Second Team
|
Position |
Player |
Team |
| Guard | David Michineau | Dar City |
| Guard | Axel Toupane | ASC Ville de Dakar |
| Guard/Forward | Majok Deng | Al Ahly Ly |
| Forward | Osayi Osifo | Al Ahly |
| Forward/Center | Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. | Al Ahly Ly |
Africa Fact: The ruined mosque in the Kenyan city of Gedi had a water purifier made of limestone for recycling water.
Dahlia Bumble
Sport Trivia: She was the first South African to win gold at the Olympics after 44 years. She won the gold medal in the 100m and 200m breaststroke in Atlanta in 1996. Answer: Penny Heyns. Penny Heynes held 14 records for breaststroke. During the 1999 Pan Pacific games, she broke 6 world records, (many of them her own previous records), and by the end of 1999 she held the record for the 50m, 100m and 200m long course breaststroke, simultaneously.
Jesterzilla
Rugby is also a very popular sport in South Africa and their national team, the Springboks, has performed particularly well in the international stage taking the 1995, 2007 and 2019 Rugby World Cups. There is also a fair amount of world-class Rugby players from South Africa that includes Bryan Habana, Danie Craven, Francois Pienaar, Frik du Preez, Joost van der Westhuizen, and Naas Botha. South Africa has also hosted quite a few international sports meetings like the 1996 African Cup of Nations, 2003 Cricket World Cup, as well as the 2007 World Twenty20 Championship.