2022 BAL qualification

The qualification tournaments for the 2022 BAL season, also known as the Road to BAL 2022, were the qualification rounds for the second season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The tournaments began on 19 October 2021 and ended 16 December 2021. Similar to the first season, the competition consisted out of two stages: the first round and the elite 16.^[1] Six teams advanced to the group phase of the BAL.

2022 BAL qualification (Road to BAL 2022)
Association	FIBA Africa
League	Road to BAL
Sport	Basketball
Duration	19 October – 16 December 2021
Number of games	40
Number of teams	18
West Division
Division champions	FAP
Top scorer	Rolly Fula Nganga (Espoir)
East Division
Division champions	Ferroviário da Beira
Top scorer	Ismael Nurmamade (Ferroviário)

Teams

On 13 October 2021, FIBA announced the 26 teams from 26 countries which participate in the qualification round.^[1]

• 1st, 2nd, etc.: ranking in national leagues
• CW: Cup winner

First round
West Division		East Division
ASPAC (1st)	SOA (1st)	New Star (1st)	City Oilers (1st)
Espoir Fukash (1st)[Note COD]	SLAC (1st)	Kurasini Heat (1st)	Cobra Sport (1st)
AS Police (1st)	Tondema (1st)	Roche-Bois Warriors (1st)	Matero Magic (1st)
FAP (1st)	Nigelec	Brave Hearts (1st)	Cape Town Tigers (1st)
		Ulinzi Warriors (1st)	Ferroviário da Beira (1st)

Notes

1. ^
   DR Congo (COD): In FIBA's team list of 13 October 2020 national champions ASB Mazembe was announced to be the Congolese representative. However, the Fédération de basketball du Congo (FEBACO) eventually decided to enter 2021 champions Espoir Fukash.^[2]
2. ^
   Zimbabwe (ZIM): The representative team from Zimbabwe, Mercenaries pulled out before its games in Group F started.^[3]

Withdrawing teams

Six teams were drawn in a group for the first round, but withdrew prior to the start of the games.

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D	Group E	Group F
WA Boufarik Prédio	AOA		ASCUT Hawassa City		Mercenaries[Note ZIM]

First round

The first two teams of each group advance to the elite 16 and two wild cards were given to teams from each division.

West Division

Group A

Initially, four teams were drawn in Group A, which was played in Conakry, Guinea. However, Prédio and WA Boufarik failed to travel to Conakry.^[4]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	AS Police	2	1	1	173	167	+6	3	Advance to Elite 16
2	SLAC (H)	2	1	1	167	173	−6	3
3	Prédio (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Withdrew
4	WA Boufarik (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Source: FIBA
(D) Disqualified; (H) Hosts

29 October 2021
SLAC		95–93		AS Police
31 October 2021
AS Police		80–72		SLAC

Group B

Venue: Conakry, Guinea

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	SOA	2	2	0	124	91	+33	4	Advance to Elite 16
2	Nigelec	2	1	1	116	99	+17	3
3	ASPAC (W)	2	0	2	75	125	−50	2
4	AOA (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Withdrew

Source: FIBA
(D) Disqualified; (W) Advanced with wild card

29 October 2021
SOA		64–51		Nigelec
30 October 2021
ASPAC		40–60		SOA
31 October 2021
Nigelec		65–35		ASPAC

Group C

Group C was hosted in Yaoundé, Cameroon. FAP, who play in the 2021 regular season, returned while Tondema and Espoir Fukash made their debuts in the competition. Malabo Kings forfeited the last day.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	FAP (H)	2	2	0	166	122	+44	4	Advance to Elite 16
2	Espoir Fukash	2	1	1	167	133	+34	3
3	Tondema	2	0	2	106	184	−78	2
4	Malabo Kings (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Forfeited

Source: FIBA
(D) Disqualified; (H) Hosts

29 October 2021
FAP		82–57		Tondema
30 October 2021
Tondema		49–102		Espoir Fukash
31 October 2021
FAP		84–65		Espoir Fukash

East Division

Because Hawassa City and ASCUT of Group D withdrew, the groups were divided again. New Star was moved to Group D.

Group D

Venue: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	New Star	2	2	0	147	120	+27	4	Advance to Elite 16
2	Ulinzi Warriors	2	1	1	127	127	0	3
3	Cobra Sport (W)	2	0	2	93	120	−27	2
4	Hawassa City (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Withdrew
5	ASCUT (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Source: FIBA
(D) Disqualified; (W) Advanced with wild card

29 October 2021
New Star		67–46		Cobra Sport
30 October 2021
Ulinzi Warriors		72–80		New Star
31 October 2021
Cobra Sport		47–53		Ulinzi Warriors

Group E

All times are GMT+3.

Venue: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	City Oilers	2	2	0	143	92	+51	4	Advance to Elite 16
2	Kurasini Heat (H)	2	1	1	103	97	+6	3
3	Brave Hearts	2	0	2	70	127	−57	2

Updated to match(es) played on 30 October 2021. Source: FIBA
(H) Hosts

29 October 2021 20:00

Box score

Brave Hearts	27–54	Kurasini Heat
Scoring by quarter: 7-13, 8-10, 4-14, 8-17
Pts: Chizah 9 Rebs: Kadiwa 6 Asts: Limbe, Vernon 2		Pts: Lugora 16 Rebs: Basco 9 Asts: Musongole 5

Benjamin Mkapa Indoor Court, Dar es Salaam Referees: Cherubin Leslie (MRI), Antonio Bernardo (ANG), Monicca Nassuuna (UGA)

29 October 2021 20:00

Box score

City Oilers	73–43	Brave Hearts
Scoring by quarter: 19-10, 16-14, 19-7, 19-12
Pts: Balwigaire Jr. 14 Rebs: Okello 12 Asts: Three players 4		Pts: Mwambene 17 Rebs: Kadiwa, Mwambene 8 Asts: Nhira 3

Benjamin Mkapa Indoor Court, Dar es Salaam Referees: Jean Sauveur Ruhamiriza (RWA), Shabani Mohamed Shabani (TUN), Erick Otieno (KEN)

29 October 2021 20:00

Box score

Kurasini Heat	49–70	City Oilers
Scoring by quarter: 7-11, 17-19, 11-19, 14-21

Benjamin Mkapa Indoor Court, Dar es Salaam Referees: Walelign Gebeto (ETH), Tonton Banza Kalume (DRC), Erick Otieno (KEN)

Group F

The venue of Group F was the Inzibio Hall in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa. Five teams were placed in this group, however, Mercenaries pulled out before the start.^[3] The Cape Town Tigers and Roche-Bois Warriors made their debut in the international level.^[5] The Group featured two former NBA players in Ben Uzoh and Billy Preston, who both played with Cape Town.^[6]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Cape Town Tigers (H)	3	3	0	285	211	+74	6	Advance to Elite 16
2	Ferroviário da Beira	3	2	1	298	173	+125	5
3	Matero Magic (W)	3	1	2	223	207	+16	4
4	Roche-Bois Warriors	3	0	3	128	343	−215	3
5	Mercenaries (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Withdrew

Source: FIBA
(D) Disqualified; (H) Hosts; (W) Advanced with wild card

21 October 2021
Cape Town Tigers		81–51		Matero Magic
Ferroviário da Beira		116–49		Roche-Bois Warriors
22 October 2021
Roche-Bois Warriors		36–132		Ferroviário da Beira
Matero Magic		77–83		Cape Town Tigers
23 October 2021
Matero Magic		95–43		Roche-Bois Warriors
Cape Town Tigers		86–85		Ferroviário da Beira

Elite 16

In the elite 16, two groups of eight teams were created consisting of the top two teams and wild cards of the first round. AS Salé, as the national champions of Morocco, directly enters this stage. Competition began on 2 December 2021 (Division East) in Johannesburg and 11 December 2021 (Division West) in Yaounde. The top three teams from each group advance to the 2022 BAL season.^[7]

On 20 November 2021, the draw was held in Abidjan.^[8] On 11 December, FIBA announced ASPAC had withdrawn and AS Salé was not available.^[9]

Division West

Group G1

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	FAP	2	2	0	157	130	+27	4	Advance to semi-finals
2	AS Police	2	1	1	151	144	+7	3
3	SOA	2	0	2	134	168	−34	2
4	ASPAC (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Withdrew

Source: FIBA
(D) Disqualified

11 December 2021
SOA		64–83		FAP
12 December 2021
AS Police		85–70		SOA
13 December 2021
FAP		74–66		AS Police

Group G2

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	SLAC	2	1	1	171	158	+13	3[a]	Advance to semi-finals
2	Espoir Fukash	2	1	1	195	193	+2	3[a]
3	Nigelec	2	1	1	158	173	−15	3[a]
4	AS Salé (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Withdrew

Source: FIBA
(D) Disqualified
Notes:

1. Ranking based on point difference: 1) SLAC +13; 2) Espoir Fukash +2; 3) Nigelec –15.

11 December 2021
Nigelec		104–91		Espoir Fukash
12 December 2021
Espoir Fukash		104–89		SLAC
13 December 2021
SLAC		82–54		Nigelec

Final stage

	Semi-finals				Final
	15 December
	FAP	70
					16 December
	Espoir Fukash	56
					FAP	81
	15 December
					SLAC	34
	SLAC (OT)	81
	AS Police	78
					Third place game
					16 December
					Espoir Fukash (OT)	93
					AS Police	87

Semi-finals

15 December 2021 15:00

Report

SLAC	81–78 (OT)	AS Police
Scoring by quarter: 13–15, 25–11, 18–20, 14–24, Overtime: 11–8
Pts: Miller Jr. 26 Rebs: Miller Jr. 10 Asts: Miller Jr. 6		Pts: Konaté 24 Rebs: Diarouma 17 Asts: Kanouté 4

Yaoundé Multipurpose Sports Complex, Yaoundé

15 December 2021 18:00

Report

FAP	70–56	Espoir Fukash
Scoring by quarter: 19–12, 21–11, 11–19, 19–14
Pts: Lyle 17 Rebs: Ngaransou 10 Asts: Essome, Liale 3		Pts: Kapongo Kabuya 14 Rebs: Fula Nganga 9 Asts: Mwana Mwamba 3

Yaoundé Multipurpose Sports Complex, Yaoundé

Third place game

16 December 2021 15:00

Report

Espoir Fukash	93–87 (OT)	AS Police
Scoring by quarter: 20–22, 24–17, 14–22, 20–17, Overtime: 15–9
Pts: Fula Nganga 29 Rebs: Mutomb Mbav 16 Asts: Mwana Mwamba 8		Pts: Kanouté 20 Rebs: Diarouma 21 Asts: Banza Kasongo 5

Yaoundé Multipurpose Sports Complex, Yaoundé

Final

16 December 2021 18:00

Report

FAP	81–34	SLAC
Scoring by quarter: 21–8, 22–5, 21–15, 17–6
Pts: Almeida 19 Rebs: Ngaransou 12 Asts: Liale 4		Pts: Poole 9 Rebs: Miller Jr. 11 Asts: Fofana 2

Yaoundé Multipurpose Sports Complex, Yaoundé

Division East

The Division East games were played from 6 December until 11 December at the Wembley Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Group H1

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	New Star	2	2	0	161	141	+20	4	Advance to semi-finals
2	Cape Town Tigers	2	1	1	150	146	+4	3
3	Matero Magic	2	0	2	133	157	−24	2
4	Kurasini Heat (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Withdrew

Source: FIBA
(D) Disqualified

6 December 2021
New Star		83–71		Cape Town Tigers
7 December 2021
Matero Magic		70–78		New Star
8 December 2021
Cape Town Tigers		79–63		Matero Magic

Group H2

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Ferroviário da Beira	2	2	0	157	105	+52	4	Advance to semi-finals
2	Cobra Sport	2	1	1	123	143	−20	3
3	Ulinzi Warriors	2	0	2	126	158	−32	2
4	City Oilers (D)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Withdrew[a]

Source: FIBA
(D) Disqualified

6 December 2021
Ferroviário da Beira		76–46		Cobra Sport
7 December 2021
Cobra Sport		77–67		Ulinzi Warriors
8 December 2021
Ferroviário da Beira		81–59		Ulinzi Warriors

Final stage

	Semi-finals				Final
	10 December
	New Star	76
					11 December
	Cobra Sport	78
					Cobra Sport	65
	10 December
					Ferroviário da Beira	91
	Ferroviário da Beira	77
	Cape Town Tigers	75
					Third place game
					11 December
					New Star	0
					Cape Town Tigers	20

Semi-finals

10 December 2021 15:30

Report

New Star	76–78	Cobra Sport
Scoring by quarter: 18-13, 19–28, 13–26, 26–11
Pts: Calvo Masa 33 Rebs: Ndikumana 11 Asts: Gasana 6		Pts: Tang 27 Rebs: Wamukota 13 Asts: Wamukota, Deng 5

Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg

10 December 2021 18:30

Report

Ferroviário da Beira	77–75	Cape Town Tigers
Scoring by quarter: 27–15, 13–31, 18–20, 19–9
Pts: Nurmamade 24 Rebs: Ubisse 11 Asts: Kennedy 8		Pts: Ganapamo 17 Rebs: Preston 10 Asts: Preston, Kabongo 6

Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg

Third place game

The third place game was supposed to be played on 11 December 2021, however, the game was cancelled after six players tested positive on COVID-19 hours before the tip-off.^[11] It was a later announced that Cape Town qualified as New Star was forced to forfeit.^[12]

Cancelled

New Star

0–20

Cape Town Tigers

Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg

Final

11 December 2021 20:00

Report

Cobra Sport	65–91	Ferroviário da Beira
Scoring by quarter: 12–17, 18–28, 17–30, 18–16
Pts: Malual 21 Rebs: Mabior 6 Asts: Wamukota 6		Pts: Nurmamade 25 Rebs: Ubisse 9 Asts: Kennedy 7

Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg

Statistics

The following were the statistical leaders in the qualification games.^[13]

Individual statistic leaders Category Player Team(s) Statistic Played Efficiency per game Benke Diarouma AS Police 24.5 4 Points per game Rolly Fula Nganga Espoir Fukash 19.8 6 Rebounds per game Benke Diarouma AS Police 14.0 4 Assists per game Tom Wamukota Cobra Sport 5.3 4 Steals per game 3.3 Blocks per game Ibrahima Diallo AS Police 2.8 4 Turnovers per game Arsène Mwana Mwamba Espoir Fukash 4.0 6 Minutes per game Dane Miller Jr. SLAC 36.2 4 FG% Jermelle Kennedy Ferroviário da Beira 56.7% 7 3P% Joel Almeida FAP 80.0% 4 FT% Landry Ndikumana New Star 71.4% 5 Double-doubles Billy Preston Cape Town Tigers 3 5 Landry Ndikumana New Star 5

Individual game highs Category Player Team Statistic Efficiency Benke Diarouma AS Police 39 Points Álvaro Calvo Masa New Star 33 Rebounds Benke Diarouma AS Police 21 Assists Micheal Afuwape AS Nigelec 11 Steals Jermelle Kennedy Ferroviário da Beira 7 Micheal Afuwape AS Nigelec Blocks Four players – 5 Three pointers Dieudonné Ndizeye Cobra Sport 7 Timothy Terna Kwaor AS Nigelec

Notes

1. On 6 December 2021, it was announced City Oilers had withdrawn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[10]