Petro de Luanda becomes the first sub-Saharan African team to win the BAL Finals after previous champions from Egypt and Tunisia.
KIGALI, RWANDA – Angola’s Petro de Luanda today defeated Libya’s Al Ahly Ly
107–94 to win the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Championship, which took place at BK Arena
in Kigali, Rwanda and reached fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages. Petro de Luanda,
the 2022 BAL runner–up and one of two teams to have participated in all four BAL seasons, is the first
sub–Saharan African team to win the BAL Finals after previous champions from Egypt and Tunisia.
Following the game, BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall and President of FIBA Africa Anibal Manave
presented Petro de Luanda with the BAL Championship Trophy and Al Ahly Ly forward Jo Lual–Acuil
Jr. with The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy for winning the 2024 BAL Most Valuable Player Award and
The Dikembe Mutombo Trophy for winning 2024 BAL Defensive Player of the Year.
Petro de Luanda went 5–2 during the Kalahari Conference group phase in Pretoria, South Africa, and the
Playoffs, defeating Senegal’s AS Douanes and South Africa’s Cape Town Tigers in the quarterfinals and
semifinals, respectively, to advance to the Finals. Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers defeated the Cape Town
Tigers 80–57 in the third–place game yesterday.
Lual–Acuil Jr. is also the 2024 BAL Scoring Champion and was named to the 2024 All–BAL First Team
and All–BAL Defensive Team after leading Al Ahly Ly to a 5–4 record during the Nile Conference
group phase in Cairo, Egypt, and the Playoffs, recording per game averages of 21.1 points, 9.9 rebounds
and 1.6 blocks.
Several former NBA players attended games throughout the 2024 BAL Playoffs and Finals, including
BAL Ambassadors and NBA Africa investors Luol Deng (South Sudan), Ian Mahinmi (France; ties to
Benin) and Joakim Noah (grandfather from Cameroon); 2015 NBA champion Festus Ezeli (Nigeria),
and New York Knicks President of G League Operations Pops Mensah–Bonsu (Ghana).
The BAL has also announced the 2024 Coach of the Year, Sportsmanship Award winner, All–BAL First
Team, All–BAL Defensive Team, and Ubuntu Award winner. The voting panels varied for each award
and were comprised of fans, coaches, team captains, media, broadcasters, and scouts.