KIGALI, Rwanda — Rwanda’s representatives, the RSSB Tigers, have qualified for the Basketball Africa League (BAL) final for the first time in the franchise history. They secured the spot after a thrilling 106-97 victory over Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly in a high-octane semifinal clash.
The highly anticipated encounter inside a completely sold-out BK Arena lived up to its heavyweight billing. Both sides traded blows in a relentless battle for a spot in the championship game.
The Tigers ultimately secured the historic win by seizing control in the second half. This decisive surge broke open a game that had been deadlocked for the first two quarters.
Breaking the Semifinal Jinx
The RSSB Tigers entered the court determined to rewrite the history books in their maiden BAL appearance. By punching their ticket to the final, they have already outdone previous Rwandan representatives.
The Tigers are the third Rwandan team to reach the BAL playoff business end. They follow in the footsteps of Patriots BBC, who reached the semifinals during the inaugural 2021 season in Kigali.
They also surpassed APR BBC, who claimed a bronze medal in the 2025 edition in Pretoria, South Africa. No Rwandan club had ever reached the final until now.
Box Score Breakdown: A Tale of Two Halves
The opening quarter set the tone for a grueling contest, with both teams fighting tooth and nail for early dominance. Neither side could establish a cushion, ending the first frame locked in a 24-24 stalemate.
Al Ahly’s Zachary Matthew Lofton spearheaded the Egyptian attack with an early 10-point burst. Meanwhile, Leonard Craig Randall kept the Tigers within striking distance with 7 points.
The Tigers received a massive tactical lift with the return of Teafale Lenard Jr. He was back in the lineup after missing the crucial second-leg quarterfinal against FUS Rabat due to injury.
The second quarter followed an identical script but delivered the defining emotional highlight of the night. As the tightly contested battle swung back and forth, President Paul Kagame entered the arena.
His arrival triggered an absolute eruption of cheers from the capacity crowd. The dramatic entrance unleashed a palpable “Kagame effect” that completely transformed the energy inside the stadium.
The home fans were whipped into a frenzy, and the Tigers players seemed visibly supercharged by the Head of State’s presence. The shift in momentum was instant, injecting a fierce new intensity into the local side’s play.
While the quarter ended in a 26-26 split to send both teams into the locker rooms knotted at 50-50, the psychological advantage had clearly swung toward Rwanda.
By the intermission, Randall had racked up 18 points for the Rwandan side. On the other end, Al Ahly’s Kevin Marquis Murphy kept the Egyptians hot on their heels with 16 points of his own.
The Second-Half Surge
The definitive turning point came in the third quarter. Riding the wave of adrenaline that had swept through BK Arena following the President’s arrival, the Tigers weaponized their transition game.
They aggressively exploited Al Ahly’s sudden defensive lapses and drew critical fouls. Capitalizing on their free throws and finding their rhythm from deep, the Rwandan side outscored the Egyptians 30-26.
This allowed the Tigers to head into the final frame with a narrow but crucial four-point cushion. Despite Al Ahly’s struggles, Lofton remained a thorn in their side, racking up 28 points by the end of the third.
The fourth quarter was played in an electric, deafening atmosphere. The home crowd, completely unified and buzzing from the President’s presence, rallied fiercely behind the Tigers.
Though Lofton put on a masterclass performance to finish with a game-high 36 points for Al Ahly, the Tigers showed immense composure down the stretch.
Executing their half-court offense meticulously and locking down defensively when it mattered most, the Tigers took the final period 26-21. This put the exclamation point on a memorable 106-97 triumph.
What’s Next
With history already made, the RSSB Tigers now await the winner of the second semifinal matchup between Angola’s Petro de Luanda and Libya’s Al Ahly Benghazi.
The championship final is scheduled to tip off on Sunday at the BK Arena. The Tigers will look to keep the prestigious BAL trophy on Rwandan soil before what is expected to be another star-studded, sold-out home crowd.
