Rwanda Energy Group (REG) have been drawn in the same conference with last year’s runners-up US Monastir ahead of the new Basketball Africa League season which tips off on March 5.
The BAL yesterday announced 12 teams which will be vying for the continental glory as the NBA-branded league returns for its second season.
The 12 teams, which include defending BAL Champion Zamalek (Egypt) and four other teams returning from the inaugural BAL season in 2021, were divided into two conferences – the Sahara Conference and the Nile Conference.
Rwanda’s representative, REG, have been drawn in the Sahara Conference alongside last year’s finalists US Monastir (Tunisia), AS Sale (Morocco),DUC (Senegal) Clube Ferroviario da Beira (Mozambique) and S.L.A.C. (Guinea)
The Nile Conference includes defending champions Zamalek BC Espoir Fukash (DRC),Cape Town Tigers (South Africa),Cobra Sport (South Sudan) F.A.P. (Cameroon) and Petro de Luanda (Angola).
Six teams including reigning BAL champion Zamalek, Angola Petro de Luanda, Morocco AS Sale, Rwanda’s Rwanda Energy Group, Senegal Dakar Université Club and Tunisia US Monastir qualified by winning their respective national leagues while the remaining secured their tickets through the Road to BAL qualifying tournaments.
In total, 38 games will be played across three cities with Dakar hosting the Sahara Conference from March 5-15 before the Nile Conference’s group phase takes place April 9-19 in Cairo. Rwanda’s Kigali will host the finals for the second time in row, from May 21-28.
Last May, Zamalek edged out US Monastir to win the inaugural BAL title at Kigali Arena.
Full schedule
| DATE | DAY | HOME | AWAY | GROUP | LOCAL TIME | ET |
| SAHARA CONFERENCE | ||||||
| 3/5/2022 | Saturday | DUC | S.L.A.C | G1 | 5:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 3/6/2022 | Sunday | REG | AS Salé | G2 | 2:00pm | 9:00am |
| 3/6/2022 | Sunday | US Monastir | CFV – Beira | G3 | 5:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 3/8/2022 | Tuesday | S.L.A.C | US Monastir | G4 | 5:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 3/8/2022 | Tuesday | CFV – Beira | DUC | G5 | 9:00pm | 4:00pm |
| 3/9/2022 | Wednesday | REG | S.L.A.C | G6 | 5:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 3/9/2022 | Wednesday | AS Salé | CFV – Beira | G7 | 9:00pm | 4:00pm |
| 3/11/2022 | Friday | AS Salé | US Monastir | G8 | 5:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 3/11/2022 | Friday | DUC | REG | G9 | 9:00pm | 4:00pm |
| 3/12/2022 | Saturday | S.L.A.C | CFV – Beira | G10 | 2:00pm | 9:00am |
| 3/12/2022 | Saturday | US Monastir | DUC | G11 | 5:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 3/14/2022 | Monday | REG | US Monastir | G12 | 5:30pm | 1:30pm |
| 3/14/2022 | Monday | AS Salé | S.L.A.C | G13 | 9:00pm | 5:00pm |
| 3/15/2022 | Tuesday | CFV – Beira | REG | G14 | 5:30pm | 1:30pm |
| 3/15/2022 | Tuesday | DUC | AS Salé | G15 | 9:00pm | 5:00pm |
| NILE CONFERENCE | ||||||
| 4/9/2022 | Saturday | Zamalek | Cobra Sport | G16 | 8:00pm | 2:00pm |
| 4/10/2022 | Sunday | F.A.P | Espoir Fukash | G17 | 6:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 4/10/2022 | Sunday | Cape Town | Petro de Luanda | G18 | 10:00pm | 4:00pm |
| 4/12/2022 | Tuesday | Petro de Luanda | Cobra Sport | G19 | 6:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 4/12/2022 | Tuesday | Cape Town | Zamalek | G20 | 10:00pm | 4:00pm |
| 4/13/2022 | Wednesday | Cobra Sport | Espoir Fukash | G21 | 6:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 4/13/2022 | Wednesday | F.A.P | Cape Town | G22 | 10:00pm | 4:00pm |
| 4/15/2022 | Friday | Cobra Sport | Cape Town | G23 | 6:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 4/15/2022 | Friday | Zamalek | Petro de Luanda | G24 | 10:00pm | 4:00pm |
| 4/16/2022 | Saturday | Petro de Luanda | F.A.P | G25 | 6:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 4/16/2022 | Saturday | Espoir Fukash | Zamalek | G26 | 10:00pm | 4:00pm |
| 4/18/2022 | Monday | Petro de Luanda | Espoir Fukash | G27 | 6:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 4/18/2022 | Monday | F.A.P | Cobra Sport | G28 | 10:00pm | 4:00pm |
| 4/19/2022 | Tuesday | Espoir Fukash | Cape Town | G29 | 6:30pm | 12:30pm |
| 4/19/2022 | Tuesday | Zamalek | F.A.P | G30 | 10:00pm | 4:00pm |
| PLAYOFFS | ||||||
| QUARTER-FINALS | ||||||
| 5/21/2022 | Saturday | Seed 1 Sahara | Seed 4 Nile | G31 | 1:30pm | 7:30am |
| 5/21/2022 | Saturday | Seed 2 Nile | Seed 3 Sahara | G32 | 6:00pm | 12:00pm |
| 5/22/2022 | Sunday | Seed 1 Nile | Seed 4 Sahara | G33 | 1:30pm | 7:30am |
| 5/22/2022 | Sunday | Seed 2 Sahara | Seed 3 Nile | G34 | 6:00pm | 12:00pm |
| SEMIFINALS | ||||||
| 5/25/2022 | Wednesday | W31 | W32 | G35* | 6:00pm | 12:00pm |
| 5/25/2022 | Wednesday | W33 | W34 | G36* | 9:30pm | 3:30pm |
| THIRD PLACE | ||||||
| 5/27/2022 | Friday | L35 | L36 | G37* | 6:00pm | 12:00pm |
| CHAMPIONSHIP | ||||||
| 5/28/2022 | Saturday | W35 | W36 | G38* | 6:00pm | 12:00pm |
