By Melokuhle Lethabo, Pretoria, South Africa The second day of the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Playoffs delivered major upsets and standout performances as APR (Rwanda) stunned defending champions Petro de Luanda (Angola) with a dominant 75–57 victory at SunBet Arena in Pretoria. APR’s Aliou Diarra led all scorers with 19 points and 14 rebounds, putting on a commanding display in the paint. Teammate Nuni Omot added 15 points and six rebounds as the Rwandan side kept Petro de Luanda on the back foot throughout the contest. For the Angolan champions, Patrick Gardner recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to stave off the defeat. In the night’s second game, 2022 BAL champions US Monastir (Tunisia) overcame Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers in a thrilling matchup. Former NBA Academy Africa standout Babacar Sane spearheaded Monastir’s offense with 22 points, while Patrick Hardy Jr. chipped in 17 points and 9 assists. Despite a valiant 28-point effort from Rivers Hoopers forward Raphael Putney, the Nigerian team fell short. The results finalized Monday’s quarterfinal matchups, with APR set to face Rivers Hoopers, and US Monastir taking on Petro de Luanda in a rematch loaded with championship pedigree. Before then, the action continues Sunday with two high-stakes, win-or-go-home quarterfinals: Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) will clash with Kriol Star (Cape Verde) at 4 p.m. CAT, followed by Al Ittihad (Egypt) versus FUS Rabat (Morocco) at 7 p.m. CAT. The 2025 BAL season continues to captivate a global audience, reaching fans in 214 countries and territories across 17 languages. Games are being broadcast through free-to-air and paid partnerships including Canal+, ESPN, FIBA’s Courtside 1891, and livestreamed on the NBA App, NBA.com, BAL.NBA.com, and the BAL’s official YouTube channel. As the tournament edges closer to the semifinals, the BAL Playoffs are proving once again to be a showcase of top-tier African basketball talent and growing global influence.
APR Stuns Defending Champions as BAL Playoffs Heat Up in Pretoria
