Egypt’s Zamalek became the first-ever champions of the Basketball Africa League after overcoming US Monastir in a final game. BAL named 3 player awards after three African NBA legends.
In a spectacular game between two North African teams in the inaugural Basketball Africa League final, the Egyptian giants, Zamalek defeated Tunisia’s US Monastir 76-63 at the Kigali Arena to become the first-ever BAL Champions.
Both teams were favorite in the beginning and had unbeaten runs in this tournament before rubbing shoulders on Sunday 30, 2021 in the magnificent Kigali Arena.
Zamalek trailed US Monastir 22-17 at the end of the first quarter before gaining the lead in the second quarter and went into the break with a 2 point lead, 44-42. The Egyptian champions maintained that lead in the next two quarters and finished the game with 76-63.
In the early game, Angola’s Petro de Luanda clinched third place after thrashing Rwanda’s Patriots 97-68.
Following the completion of this successful Africa League, awards have been given for the players who have excelled in this competition. The awards were named after the African NBA legends.
The Most Valuable Player, MVP is named after Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon and Zamalek’s Walter Hodge claims it to become the first Hakeem Olajuwon BAL MVP. Hodge is a former US Monastir player.
BAL defensive prayer of the tournament is named after DRC’s Dikembe Mutombo who was in attendance of the final game. Zamalek’s Anas Osama Mahmoud won Dikembe Mutombo BAL Defensive Player of the inaugural season.
The sportsmanship award is named in honor of South Sudan’s Manute Bol. This award goes to the Tunisia International and US Monastir forward, Makrem Ben Romdhane.
Basketball Africa League, a brainchild of the NBA-FIBA partnership, replaces Africa Basketball League as the continent’s top-tier league. In his speech at the opening ceremony, BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall said BAL is going to be one of the absolutely professional leagues in the world in the years to come.
