RSSB Tigers star Craig Randall II has vowed that the Basketball Africa League (BAL) trophy will remain in Kigali as the Rwandan side prepares for a historic final against Angola’s Petro de Luanda on Sunday at BK Arena. The American guard has been one of the standout performers of the 2026 BAL season and is among the four finalists for the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, alongside teammate Mangok Mathiang and Petro de Luanda duo Childe Dundao and Abou Gakou. Speaking ahead of the championship game, Randall expressed confidence in the Tigers’ ability to complete their fairytale run and deliver the title to home fans. “We’ve been preparing for this moment since the Kalahari Conference. Reaching the final was always one of our goals,” Randall told journalists during the pre-match press conference. “We know Petro are a very strong team and they deserve to be here, but we believe in ourselves. We have a complete squad, we trust each other, and we’re going to do everything possible to keep that trophy right here in Kigali.” ALSO READ: RSSB Tigers eliminate Al Ahly to reach historic BAL 2026 final Head coach Henry Mwinuka echoed Randall’s confidence, insisting that his side has learned valuable lessons from their earlier meeting with Petro during the Kalahari Conference and is ready for the challenge. “We made a lot of mistakes during the Kalahari Conference, but the positive thing is that the players understand what went wrong and how to correct it,” Mwinuka said. “This final is bigger than us. We are playing for our club, our supporters and our country. We will fight until the end, and I believe we have what it takes to win the title.” ALSO READ: What to know about RSSB Tigers, Petro de Luanda ahead of BAL final Mwinuka also acknowledged that Petro are likely to focus heavily on limiting Randall’s influence, particularly his three-point shooting and ability to create scoring opportunities. “We know Petro like to neutralise their opponents’ key players, and Craig is naturally one of the players they will pay special attention to,” he explained. “But basketball is a team game. If they focus on Craig, it creates opportunities for others. We are prepared for every scenario.” Tigers’ remarkable debut campaign RSSB Tigers have enjoyed a sensational debut season in the BAL, emerging as one of the competition’s biggest success stories. The Rwandan side topped the Kalahari Conference with a 4-1 record, announcing themselves as genuine title contenders from the outset. They carried that momentum into the playoffs, overcoming Morocco’s FUS Rabat in the quarterfinals before producing a memorable 106-97 victory over Egyptian giants Al Ahly SC in the semifinals. That triumph not only secured a place in the BAL final but also made RSSB Tigers the first Rwandan club to reach the championship game in the competition’s history. Now, with one match standing between them and continental glory, the Tigers have the opportunity to cap a remarkable campaign by becoming the first Rwandan team to lift the BAL trophy.
