Pretoria: The 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) season is set to host its Playoffs and Finals at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa for the first time, from June 6 to June 14. The top eight teams from the conference group phases held in Rabat, Dakar, and Kigali will compete for the championship title. These teams include No. 1 seed AlAhli Tripoli from Libya, No. 2 seed Al Ittihad from Egypt, 2022 BAL champion US Monastir from Tunisia, Rivers Hoopers from Nigeria, 2024 BAL champion Petro de Luanda from Angola, Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) from Rwanda, Kriol Star from Cape Verde, and FUS de Rabat from Morocco.
According to African Press Organization, the Playoffs and Finals will follow a schedule consisting of four seeding games and an eight-game, single-elimination playoff format, concluding with the Finals on June 14. Tickets for the events are currently available for purchase at BAL.NBA.com and Ticketmaster.co.za.
The 2025 BAL season has been notable for several achievements. The league set
an attendance record with 111,008 fans attending the three conference group phases, including three sold-out opening days. Additionally, nearly 37,000 jobs have been connected to the league’s activities across the continent over its first four seasons. The BAL has also been active in community engagement, involving 2,347 youth and community members through its social impact programs.
The league’s media reach has expanded, with over 600 media members from 30 countries across Africa, Europe, and the U.S. accredited to cover the group phases. The 2025 season is broadcasting to fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages, showcasing the growing global interest in the league. The 12 participating BAL teams featured 156 players from 28 countries across Africa, Europe, Oceania, and the U.S. during the group phase play.
Several records were set during the season, including AlAhli Tripoli scoring a BAL-record 115 points in a game against the Nairobi City Thunder. MBB guard Teafale Lenard Jr. scored a seaso
n-high 39 points, and Rivers Hoopers center Peter Olisemeka grabbed 17 rebounds in a single game. Petro de Luanda guard Childe Dundao set a record with 13 assists in a game, while APR center Aliou Diarra set a record with eight blocked shots in a single game. Al Ahli Tripoli guard Jean-Jacques Boissy made a season-high eight three-pointers in a game.
The 2025 season also saw the participation of six new teams and two new countries, enhancing the league’s diversity. Kriol Star became the only team to win two overtime games in the same season. US Monastir and Petro de Luanda are notable for competing in all five BAL seasons. This year marked the first time BAL games were held in Morocco and that South Africa is hosting the Playoffs and Finals.