Rwanda Energy Group (REG) will play Nigeria’s Kwara Falcons on March 12, in their opening game of the Sahara Conference group phase of the Basketball Africa League 2023.

The pair was drawn in the Sahara Conference due from March 11-21 at Dakar Arena in Senegal, alongside Tunisian giants US-Monastir, Abidjan Basket Club (Côte d'Ivoire) AS Douanes (Senegal) and Stade Malien (Mali).

After Falcons, the Rwandan champions will take on Abidjan Basket Club (Ivory Coast) on March 14 before playing Senegal’s AS Douanes on March 15.

They will then face Malian side Stade Malien on March 18, before winding up the conference with a game against BAL defending champions US-Monastir on March 20.

The BAL 2023 comprises 12 teams pooled in two conferences: Sahara and Nile.

Teams in each conference will play against each other, and the top four will proceed to the next round of playoffs which will be played on a knockout basis (quarterfinals, semifinals and then finals) in Kigali from May 21-27.

The Sahara Conference’s games will take place at the Dakar Arena in Senegal from March 11-21, while the Nile Conference’s group phase will take place at Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo from 26 to May 6.

Last season, Rwanda Energy Group (REG) topped the Sahara conference, and proceeded to the playoffs though it did not make it beyond that stage.

REG’s Sahara Conference fixtures

March 12

REG Vs Kwara Falcons

March 14

REG Vs Abidjan Basket Club

March 15

REG Vs AS Douanes

March 18

REG Vs Stade Malien

March 20

REG Vs US-Monastir