Rwanda's RSSB Tigers Win Historic Basketball Africa League Title
The triumph on Saturday delivered a memorable moment for home fans, marking a significant milestone in Rwanda’s rise as a basketball nation, writes Gazette's Annet Mugabo.
RSSB Tigers made history on Saturday by becoming the first Rwandan club to win the Basketball Africa League (BAL) title after edging defending champions Petro de Luanda of Angola 90-88 in a thrilling final at BK Arena.
Backed by a passionate home crowd, the Tigers completed a landmark campaign to deliver Rwanda’s first-ever BAL championship and cement their place among the continent’s elite basketball teams.
American guard Craig Randall II played a pivotal role in the title-winning run and was named the 2026 BAL Most Valuable Player.
The Tigers star received the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy after averaging 36.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game throughout the season.
Randall also rewrote the BAL record books when he scored 54 points against Tanzania’s Dar City on 4 April, setting a new single-game scoring record.
Coach of the Year
The Tigers reached the final after overcoming Morocco’s FUS Rabat in the quarterfinals and Egypt’s Al Ahly in the semifinals.
They finished the season with a 6-2 record across the Kalahari Conference and playoffs before sealing the title with a narrow victory over Petro de Luanda.
Head coach Henry Mwinuka was rewarded for the team’s success by being named BAL Coach of the Year, becoming the first Tanzanian to receive the honour after guiding the Tigers to their maiden continental crown.
The champions also collected another major individual award, with centre Mangok Mathiang earning Defensive Player of the Year honours.
Mathiang received the Dikembe Mutombo Trophy after averaging 16 points, 14.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
Biggest Yet
The BAL’s sixth season proved to be its biggest yet. More than 110,000 spectators attended games across the continent, while the league recorded over 1.1 billion social media views and attracted a record 22 commercial and institutional partners.
Several prominent figures from world basketball attended the playoffs and finals in Kigali, including NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum, FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis, NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi and BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall.
Earlier in the day, Libya’s Al Ahly Ly secured third place with a 106-98 victory over Egypt’s Al Ahly.
The league also recognised community leadership, presenting the 2026 Ubuntu Award to Nairobi City Thunder forward Ariel Koranga for his efforts to empower young women in Kenya through basketball, education and mentorship programmes.
For Rwanda, however, the spotlight belonged to RSSB Tigers, whose historic triumph marked a significant milestone for the country’s growing basketball ambitions and delivered a memorable moment for home fans.
