BAL 2026: RSSB Tigers outlast FUS Rabat, ASC Ville de Dakar shock holders Al Ahly

Basketball Africa League playoffs action delivered thrilling performances in Kigali last night as RSSB Tigers and ASC Ville de Dakar secured crucial first-leg victories in their respective quarterfinal series at BK Arena.

RSSB Tigers moved within touching distance of the semifinals after a commanding 95-72 victory over FUS Rabat in front of a packed home crowd.

The Rwandan side dominated from start to finish, thrilling supporters with fast-paced offense, powerful dunks and accurate shooting.

The night once again belonged to American guard Craig Randall, who produced another outstanding scoring display.

Randall finished with 38 points after shooting 11-for-28 from the floor, including six three-pointers.

It marked his fourth game in five BAL appearances with more than 37 points, underlining his importance to RSSB’s impressive playoff campaign.

RSSB also welcomed back Teafale Lenard Jr., who made his first BAL appearance since March after recovering from injury.

Although an ankle problem limited the versatile forward to fewer than nine minutes in the first half, he still contributed nine points and praised his teammates after the game.

“Once Craig wakes up, nobody can really beat us,” Lenard Jr. said confidently after the victory, insisting the Tigers remain favorites to reach the semifinals.

FUS Rabat struggled without key players Will Perry and Abdoulaye Harouna, their leading scorer, and failed to recover after conceding a decisive 14-4 run late in the first half.

Moroccan forward Ilias Aqboub came off the bench to score 12 points and collect six rebounds, while Kuany Atem Kuany added 12 points and nine rebounds in defeat.

The Moroccan side now faces a huge challenge in Sunday’s return game, needing to defeat RSSB by at least 23 points to overturn the deficit and advance.

Earlier in the evening, Senegalese champions ASC Ville de Dakar stunned defending champions Al Ahly SC with a dramatic 93-90 victory in another entertaining quarterfinal clash.

The game featured relentless attacking basketball, with both teams recording their highest scoring totals of the season.

Fifteen lead changes highlighted the intensity of the contest as neither side managed to fully control the game.

Former NBA champion Axel Toupane led Dakar’s charge with a brilliant all-around performance, finishing with 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Samba Fall added 18 points, while several other Dakar players contributed valuable scoring from the bench.

Al Ahly responded through former BAL MVP Nuni Omot, who scored 23 points, while Kevin Murphy added 22.

Dakar’s stronger bench proved decisive as they outscored the Egyptian side 26-12 in reserve production.

Despite leading by seven points during the second quarter, Al Ahly lost momentum before halftime as Dakar fought back to take a narrow 47-45 lead into the break.

The Egyptian giants must now win Sunday’s decisive second leg by more than three points to keep their BAL title defense alive and secure a place in the semifinals.