Angolan champions Petro de Luanda, who entered the 2026 BAL Playoffs as the tournament’s top-ranked team, suffered a shock 88-82 defeat to Tanzania’s Dar City in Game 1 of the quarterfinals on Saturday. Dar City, the lowest-ranked side to reach the playoffs, produced a stunning late surge to claim one of the biggest upsets in BAL history. Although they held only a slim advantage through the opening three quarters, the Tanzanian side saved their best for the closing moments, unleashing a decisive 15-0 run in the final 6:28 minutes. The six-point victory now leaves Dar City in control heading into the decisive second game, while Petro de Luanda face immense pressure to keep their title hopes alive. Saturday’s encounter was a complete contrast to the teams’ previous meeting in South Africa in March, where Petro cruised to a dominant 100-75 victory. Despite Petro’s bench outscoring Dar City’s reserves 51-16, the Tanzanian side showed remarkable endurance and discipline, with Daniel Utomi, David Michineau, and Nisre Zouzoua all playing the entire game. Utomi led the scoring with 22 points after shooting 8-for-18 from the floor, while Zouzoua added 19 points and Michineau chipped in with 12 points and eight assists. Dar City’s standout performer, however, was former NBA G League champion Michael Foster, who delivered a flawless shooting display. Foster went 7-for-7 from the field, including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, to finish with 19 points. Former BAL Defensive Player of the Year Anas Mahmoud also made a huge impact off the bench, contributing 13 points and 12 rebounds. For Petro de Luanda, former APR guard Chasson Randle scored 18 points, while Aboubacar Gakou added 17. However, the former BAL champions struggled badly from long range, shooting just 8-for-32 from three-point range, while also missing 12 of their 18 free-throw attempts. Petro also failed to match Dar City’s energy and intensity despite using a deeper rotation. The two sides will meet again on May 25 in a decisive clash that will determine who advances to the semifinals. Earlier on Saturday, Al Ahly Libya edged Club Africain 88-87 to take the advantage in another tightly contested two-game quarterfinal series.
