RSSB Tigers have made history by becoming the first Rwandan club to reach the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Finals after defeating Egypt’s Al Ahly 106-97 in Kigali on Wednesday night. The win capped a landmark run for a team that only entered the competition after being named as APR BBC’s replacement following APR’s withdrawal from BAL 2026.
The Tigers took control of the semifinal from the opening tip and stayed ahead throughout a tightly contested contest, with the quarter scores reading 24-24, 26-26, 30-26, and 26-21. RSSB’s balanced attack and composure in the final quarter helped them hold off a strong Al Ahly side and seal a famous victory.
Leonard Craig Randall II led RSSB with 30 points, while Al Ahly’s Zachary Matthew finished as the game’s top scorer with 36 points.
The result adds another chapter to a remarkable season for the Kigali-based side, who were brought into BAL 2026 at the last minute after APR BBC stepped aside, but have since turned that opportunity into a historic finals berth.
RSSB Tigers will now await the winner of Thursday’s semifinal between Petro de Luanda and Al Ahly Libya, with the BAL Finals set for Sunday in Kigali.
