With ten games already in the books, the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) playoffs have delivered exciting moments for fans, thanks to standout performances from several key players who have propelled their teams into the semi-finals and now, the finals. In this article, Times Sport presents some of the players who have made great impact so far. ALSO READ: APR BBC bows out of BAL 2025 Fabian White Jr. (Al Ahli Tripoli) To understand the impact White Jr. has had on the Libyan champions’ rotation, consider his playing time. He only sat for seven minutes in a 107-81 blowout win over Kriol Stars. Otherwise, the American power forward played two entire games: an 85-74 loss against Al Ittihad and an 84-71 semifinal win against APR, leading the Libyan champions to victory. White Jr., who is 27 years old, has averaged a BAL postseason efficiency rating of 31, which is far higher than any other player's. Before the final against Petro de Luanda on Saturday, June 14, he averaged 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.7 blocked shots in three games. Aliou Diarra (APR) The 2023 BAL Defensive Player of the Year continues to turn heads around the league with his impressive performances. Before the semifinal clash against Al Ahli Tripoli, the Malian international was 0-for-12 from the three-point line. However, on Wednesday, he sank a three-pointer that briefly gave APR a 51-47 lead. In the first three games of the 2025 BAL postseason, Diarra averaged 16.6 points, 11 rebounds, and one block. He averaged a 23 Efficiency Rating in those three games. On Friday, Diarra’s APR will face Al Ittihad in the third-place game. Kendrick Ray (Petro de Luanda) The 6-foot-2 point guard has proven to be a playoffs massive addition for a team that made history by becoming the first to reach the BAL finals three times in five seasons. ALSO READ: American-Rwandan basketball player Kendall Gray retires After a quiet debut in which Petro de Luanda suffered a humiliating 75-57 loss to playoff debutants APR, Ray displayed his full potential. He displayed an impressive skill set, shooting and attacking the rim, to help Petro de Luanda succeed in the quarterfinals and semi-finals. The 31-year-old guard averaged 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists, shooting 46 percent from the field and averaging a 13-efficiency rating. Nuni Omot (APR) The 2023 BAL Most Valuable Player joined the Rwandan champions just days before the playoffs in Pretoria, and his impact was immediate. The 2024 Olympian from South Sudan gradually increased his scoring contributions from 15 to 21 to 22 before they take on Al Ittihad in the Third-Place game on Friday. Although APR fell short in the semifinals against Al Ahli Tripoli, Omot lived up to his reputation as a top performer, averaging a 20-efficiency rating. Jo Lual Acuil Jr. (Al Ittihad Alexandria) The 2024 BAL Most Valuable Player is one of the many recent additions to this season's playoffs. He kept his credentials intact by contributing significantly to Al Ittihad Alexandria. The South Sudanese international averaged 33 minutes, 16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and one steal over three games. ALSO READ: APR BBC coach talks Nuni Omot’s addition, BAL playoffs The 2024 BAL Defensive Player of the Year averaged a 23-efficiency rating. Chasson Randle (APR) Although Randle had his lowest production in the 75-57 win against Petro de Luanda, contributing only six points and one assist in 29 minutes, he put on a show in his next two games, averaging 15 points. Randle, a natural playmaker with the ability to score, had an efficiency rating of 17 in three postseason games. Patrick Gardner (Petro de Luanda) The Egyptian has been doing it all for the reigning BAL champions. From hitting long-range shots and blocking shots to rebounding and being vocal when needed, Gardner has been at the forefront of Petro de Luanda’s resurgence in the playoffs. In the first three games of the 2025 BAL playoffs, the 6-foot-11 left-handed forward/centre averaged 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one block while finishing with a 23-efficiency rating.
