FAP BASKETBALL CLUB EXEMPTED FROM THE BASKETBALL AFRICA LEAGUE 2024

The Basketball Africa League (BAL) is a professional basketball league in Africa that was established in collaboration between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). The league’s inaugural season took place in 2021, marking a significant milestone for basketball on the African continent. The idea for the BAL emerged as part of the NBA’s efforts to expand its presence in Africa and promote the development of basketball on the continent. In February 2019, FIBA and the NBA jointly announced the creation of the BAL as a pan-African professional league. It features teams from across Africa, with a focus on providing a platform for local talent and showcasing the rich basketball culture on the continent. The league aims to contribute to the growth of basketball in Africa, provide opportunities for African players to compete at a high level, and engage fans in a dynamic basketball experience.

The Fap Basketball Club OF Yaoundé had failed to qualify for the 2023 edition of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and presently, they will once more miss out on the 2024 edition for the second consecutive time.

The club failed to grab the last available ticket from the West Division following a defeat to AI Ahly Benghazi of Libya 84-93 on November 05^th, 2023.

The FAP Basketball outfit that has represented Cameroon in the first two editions of the BAL had earlier suffered an 86-77 defeat in the second game of the competition from AI Ahly.

The 2024 Basketball Africa League, supported by the National Basketball Association, NBA, and FIBA, will feature 12 teams, of which five, will be participating for the first time in the premier basketball competition on the African continent.

Among them involves; Burundi’s Dynamo Basketball Club, APR, FUS Rabat, AI Ahly Benghazi, and Bangui Sporting Club. Other various teams have qualified for the competition include; Angolan champions Petro de Luanda, Egypt’s AI Ahly SC, Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers, Senegal’s AS Douanes, and Tunisia’s US Monastir.

The league’s expanded fourth season will start in March 2024, in South Africa featuring 12 club teams from 12 African countries playing a record of 48 games across four African countries, South Africa, Egypt, Senegal, and Rwanda over four months. This season will be recorded as the first time South Africa is hosting and the first time BAL games will be played in four different countries.

Delia Nyadi.