BASKETBALL - The African Mirror

Apr

2024

Petro de Luanda fires head coach Jose Neto, African players continue to shine at the annual Nike Hoop Summit, and Rwandese national Bella Murekatete is named to the 2024 Women’s College All-Star game

AFTER disappointing results in the conference stage of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), Angolan side Petro de Luanda have fired head coach Jose Neto. The Brazilian head coach has been with Petro for four seasons and is a former BAL Coach of the Year. However, he experienced tensions with Petro de Luanda’s front office and multiple players on the squad leading up to their most recent outing in the Kalahari Conference. While the decision to part ways with Neto may have surprised some fans, the latest outcome following a fourth-place finish in the 2023 season and a second-place finish in…

Apr

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Basketball’s influence in Africa is growing, latest NBA data shows

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FROM growing live game viewerships to a surge in social media numbers and an increase in merchandise sales, a new NBA Africa report shows a growth in the number of Africans interested in basketball. According to Silalei Shani, a basketball commentator and former Kenya basketball team captain, “What is happening now is that the basketball audience is connecting more and can be measured because of central areas of interest and at large scale basketball events that have come up in recent years, such as the BAL.” “Credit has to go to social media, marketing and content creators. Basketball content is…

Apr

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

NBA Africa-Africell collaboration points to the growing influence of private sector in Africa sport

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THE recent unveiling of a new indoor basketball court by NBA Africa and Angolan telecoms company Africell is another example of how private sector partnerships are helping to fast-forward sports development across Africa, while governments are missing the opportunity, according to a Nigerian sports analyst. Sports and entertainment expert Adedamilola Adedotun, lead sports strategist at The Temple in Nigeria, explained that partnerships with non-state entities in the sports sector are key to unleashing Africa's sports potential. "Sports infrastructure gaps would have been an ideal investment opportunity for governments to leverage to drive economic growth… what they lack, in my opinion,…

Mar

2024

By The African Mirror

The BAL 4: Kalahari Conference wrap

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ALL eyes in African basketball turned to Pretoria, South Africa for the Kalahari Conference of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) for a spot in the BAL playoffs in Kigali, Rwanda in May 2024. FUS Rabat, hailing from Morocco, stole the show - winning the Kalahari Conference in front a sold out crowd at the SunBet Arena - finishing with a 3-1 record. Angolan representatives Petro de Luanda emerged as the second place finishers in the group, also clinching their berth to the BAL playoffs, winning 2 games and suffering 2 defeats. South African representatives and Hometown heroes the Cape Town…

Mar

2024

By BIRD STORY AGENCY

Pro basketball teams shine at the NBA-backed BAL Kalahari Conference

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SOUTH Africa's SunBet Arena in Pretoria successfully concluded the group stage matches of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) on Sunday (March 17) as the inaugural Kalahari Conference ignited fierce competition and provided electrifying hoop action. Despite Burundi's club Dynamo withdrawing from the competition, other conference matches went on as planned, with Morocco’s Fath Union Sport de Rabat emerging at the top of the conference, followed by Clube Atletico Petroleos de Luanda of Angola. The two are automatic qualifiers for the BAL playoffs in May at the BK Arena in Kigali. Home team, the Cape Town Tigers, finished in third place,…

Feb

2024

By SILALEI SHANI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

An African film stars at the 2024 NBA All Star Weekend, Nigeria’s women’s team heading to Paris, upsets in Afrobaskets qualifiers

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NIGERIA’S D’Tigress booked their ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris despite losing 2 of their 3 games in a qualifying round that included the USA, Belgium, and Senegal. D’Tigress started the tournament with a 4th-quarter comeback win against Senegal, finishing 72-65. The crucial victory saw the Nigerian squad trail Senegal all the way to the 4th quarter until an 11-0 run allowed them to grab the lead and keep it. Amy Okonkwo, the 2023 Afrobasket MVP, was largely responsible for the success of the D’Tigress outing. Despite losing their subsequent games and USA (46-100) and Belgium (61-78), Nigeria…

Feb

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Rising talent fuelling continental basketball

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SEVEN African basketball prospects are among the 40 high-school-age prospects who will participate in the eighth annual Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global Camp. Their participation and inclusion at the BWB Global Camp underscores the abundance of basketball talent on the continent, ready and eager to continue Africa’s legacy as a sports talent hub. A press statement by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) on February 9 announced the names of the 40 youngsters who will be part of the camp that will be held between February 16 and 18 at the Mojo Up Sports Complex…

Jan

2024

By SILALEI SHANI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

bird’s African Basketball Wrap: Pascal Siakam traded, Clare Akamanzi to start as NBA Africa CEO

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AFRICA’S basketball calendar for the new year is starting to take shape, with the Basketball Africa League kicking off in March and the 2025 Afrobasket qualifiers scheduled for February 23-25. The host countries for the opening window of this edition of Afrobasket will be Tunisia and Egypt, with Tunisia hosting Groups B and E and the latter hosting the first games of Group D. The remaining groups will play their qualifying games in November. Teams heading to Tunisia include Group B’s Cape Verde, Nigeria, and Uganda, together with the winners of Africa Zone 1 qualifiers, while Group E is comprised…

Dec

2023

By SILALEI SHANI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

bird’s African Basketball Wrap: Kenya upsets Egypt at the FIBA Africa Cup 3×3 games, NBA legend Ron Harper visits Kenya for NBA Africa office launch; Afrobasket qualifiers draw in Johannesburg

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KENYA Women's 3x3 senior national team upset the reigning champions at the recently concluded FIBA Africa Cup 2023 competition in Cairo, Egypt. The Kenyans took the title with a 21-20 buzzer beater by Kenya Ports Authority player Natalie Mwangale. Kenya and Egypt were both undefeated heading into the final game, with Egypt dominating for the better part of the final game. Then despite Egypt's 19-13 lead, Kenya mounted a comeback, with the win sealed by Mwangale’s crucial two-point shot in the final second. Team manager Nellie Odera praised the outstanding performance of the 4-woman team, which included Mwangale, Hilda Indasi,…

Dec

2023

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

NBA Africa expands in the East

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NBA Africa has established a subsidiary in Nairobi, adding a fifth office to a network that includes Cairo, Johannesburg, Dakar, and Lagos. According to NBA Africa/s new CEO, Victor Williams, the NBA Kenya office will bolster basketball within the country, especially in the school curriculum. “We want to train more teachers and coaches in the game to strengthen the administration of the game by also offering clinics to referees. We also want to work with prospective partners who see the game as a vehicle to engage young people,” Williams explained. The NBA launch event on November 29th included a junior…