How a Team Built in Two Weeks Conquered African Basketball

Just weeks before the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Season 6 tipped off, RSSB Tigers were not considered among the most prepared teams to compete. However, their resilience and hard work became evident throughout the tournament, as they consistently improved and delivered strong performances all the way to the final.

On Sunday night, 31 June at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, the Tigers completed one of the greatest underdog stories in African basketball history, defeating Petro de Luanda 90-88 to become the first Rwandan team to win the BAL championship.

The victory marked an extraordinary run for a team

that was only confirmed as a BAL participant two weeks before the tournament tipped off. What began as a last-minute opportunity ended with confetti, championship rings, celebrations and a place in the history books.

Petro de Luanda entered the final determined to add another continental title to their impressive resume. The Angolan giants looked firmly in control during the opening stages of the match.

Aboubakar Gakou led the charge for Petro, delivering a dominant first-half performance. After Lukeny Gonçalves opened the scoring, Gakou quickly found his rhythm from beyond the arc and helped Petro establish a commanding lead. The Angolan side raced ahead while the Tigers struggled to find offensive consistency.

Craig Randall II eventually got RSSB Tigers on the scoreboard before Eduonne Ndizeye added a three-pointer to add hope to the home crowd. Despite the response, Petro controlled most of the first quarter and led 27-16 after the opening ten minutes.

The second quarter brought a dramatic shift in momentum.

RSSB Tigers began to find success through their defensive intensity, with Dikembe Mutombo Defensive Player of the Year Mangok Mathiang making his presence felt on both ends of the floor. The South Sudanese center made sure to make impressive blocks, he secured crucial rebounds and sparked the Tigers' comeback effort.

Teafale Lenard Jr, Axel Mpoyo and Randall all contributed key baskets as the gap of points between the two teams began to shrink. With under three minutes remaining in the first half, Mpoyo knocked down a crucial three-pointer to make it a one-point game. Moments later, Randall gave the Tigers their first lead of the evening.

After staying behind by as many as 20 points, RSSB Tigers completed a remarkable turnaround and entered halftime leading 42-37 after outscoring Petro 26-10 in the second quarter.

The battle between Randall and Gakou became one of the defining storylines of the final. Randall led the Tigers with 20 first-half points, while Gakou responded with 20 of his own for Petro.

The hosts carried their momentum into the third quarter. Petro continued to rely on Gakou and Cleusio Castro, while the Tigers received valuable contributions from Ntore Habimana, Teafale Lenard Jr and Mathiang. By the end of the third quarter, RSSB Tigers held a narrow 61-59 advantage, setting up a thrilling finish in front of a packed BK Arena crowd.

The fourth quarter delivered all the drama expected of a championship game.

An injury scare involving Gakou threatened Petro's momentum, but the forward continued to battle through. The lead changed hands repeatedly as neither side was willing to surrender.

The scores were tied at 64-64 with eight minutes remaining, level again at 72-72 with under five minutes left, and deadlocked once more at 75-75 with four minutes to play.

A major turning point came when Tigers captain Antino Alvares Jackson Jr fouled out after collecting his fifth personal foul. Despite losing one of their leaders, the Rwandan side remained composed under pressure. With just 32.5 seconds remaining, the Tigers held an 87-82 advantage. Petro continued to fight, with Gakou cutting the shortfall to three points, but the hosts converted crucial late free throws to preserve a dramatic 90-88 victory.

When the final buzzer went off, the BK Arena erupted in celebration as the RSSB Tigers made history, becoming the first Rwandan club to win the BAL trophy.

The championship represented the result of months of hard work under head coach Henry Mwinuka, who was tasked with assembling a competitive roster in less than two weeks. The squad brought together players from APR and other clubs across Rwanda, creating a team that many viewed as outsiders before the tournament began.

Early signs of what was possible emerged during the Kalahari Conference when Randall produced one of the greatest individual performances in BAL history. Against Tanzania's Dar City, He went off for a record-breaking 54 points, setting new BAL marks for both points scored and three-pointers made in a single game.

That performance announced RSSB Tigers as contenders. The final's victory confirmed them as champions.

Individual Awards

The BAL's season-ending awards recognised several standout performers from across the continent.

• Coach of the Year: Henry Mwinuka (RSSB Tigers)

• Ubuntu Award: Ariel Okall (Nairobi City Thunder)

• Manute Bol Sportsmanship Award: Muhammad Sadi (Al Ahly Libya), presented by Luol Deng

• Dikembe Mutombo Defensive Player of the Year: Mangok Mathiang (RSSB Tigers), presented by Pops Mensah-Bonsu

• 2026 BAL Scoring Champion: Craig Randall II (RSSB Tigers)

• 2026 BAL Most Valuable Player: Craig Randall II (RSSB Tigers)

For Randall, the championship completed a dream season that included a BAL scoring record, a regular-season MVP award and now a championship ring.

For RSSB Tigers, the title was even bigger.

From receiving confirmation of their BAL participation just two weeks before the season began to lifting African basketball's biggest prize on home soil, the Tigers completed what some would call a fairytale journey that will be remembered as one of the greatest stories in Basketball Africa League history.

On a memorable night in Kigali, African basketball witnessed history.