Friday, March 27
Kalahari conference
RSSB Tigers Vs Al Ahly Ly 4pm
Johannesburg Giants vs Dar City 7pm
Rwanda's RSSB Tigers Basketball Club will face off with Libya’s Al Ahly Ly today, March 27, in the opening game of the Kalahari Conference of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2026.
The Tigers and Al Ahly Ly have never played against each other before.
Al Ahly Ly are approaching this season with the aim of rectifying their mistakes from 2024, when they missed a great opportunity to become the first Libyan team to win the BAL trophy. The feat was later achieved by their domestic rivals, Al Ahly Tripoli last year.
The RSSB Tigers have also set their sights high for the season, as evidenced by their recruitment and squad building.
While Al Ahly Ly secured their BAL spot with an impressive 7-0 finish in the Road to BAL campaign, RSSB Tigers earned theirs by winning the 2025 Rwanda Super League Cup.
With two players boasting BAL MVP credentials (Jo Lual Acuil and Jean Jacques Boissy), Al Ahly Ly appear to be favourites, but the Tigers' squad is not to be underestimated.
Teafal Lenard Jr., one of the RSSB Tigers' new signings, stopped by to shed light on the team's approach to the 2026 BAL season.
"My goal as a player is to lead my team to the finals and hopefully win the championship. We want to win," he said.
Johannesburg Giants vs Dar City
Everyone is asking whether the Giants will be able to protect their home court.
During the 2024 Kalahari Conference, the Cape Town Tigers, former South African champions, won two of their four games at the same venue, securing a spot in the playoffs.
Beating Dar City is not only a morale boost for the Giants, but also a must-do task.
The last time the Johannesburg Giants and Dar City faced off was in November during the Road to BAL in Nairobi, Kenya. The Giants won 71–69, securing automatic qualification for the 2026 BAL season.
After their opening games, the Johannesburg Giants and RSSB Tigers will enjoy a rest day, while Dar City and Al Ahly will return to action on Saturday, taking on the Nairobi City Thunder and Petro de Luanda respectively.