The 2023 BAL Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the 2023 BAL season to determine the champions of the third Basketball Africa League (BAL) season. For a third consecutive season, the playoffs will be hosted in the BK Arena in Kigali.
On 16 March 2023, the BAL incorrectly reported that REG became the first team to qualify for the playoffs.[2]US Monastir and ABC Fighters were also reported to have qualified on 20 March.[3][4] However, only on the last day of the Sahara Conference, the final ranking was determined and the four advancing teams were decided based on their head-to-head point difference. Petro de Luanda was the first team from the Nile Conference to qualify.[5]
After taking a 8–5 lead, REG trailed in the rest of the game to the Egyptian champions Al Ahly. During the third quarter, Al Ahly led by as much as 23 points. Adonis Filer scored a game-high 26 points for REG, while Ehab Amin scored 22 points for the Egyptians.[7]
This was the first competitive game between the two teams.
The Tigers were forced to play without Zaire Wade and Evans Ganapamo, who suffered from injuries. Stade Malien never trailed throughout the game, as they had already built a sixteen point advantage after the first quarter. Import player John Wilkins scored 16 points in the opening quarter. During the third quarter, Stade Malien led by as much as 22 points, but this lead was cut to just two with 41 seconds left on the clock. After this point, the Tigers turned over the ball three times, which were conversed to six points by Malien. Aliou Diarra had a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds, his sixth double-double in six BAL games. For the Tigers, it was their second consecutive elimination in the quarterfinals.[8]
BK Arena, Kigali Attendance: 2,240 Referees: JD Ralls, Banza Kalume, Sara Elsharnouby
Petro de Luanda vs. ABC Fighters
This was the first competitive game in the BAL between the two teams, and the third meeting ever. They met twice in the FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup, in the semi-final of the 2005 and in the group stage of the 2007.
AS Douanes won the semi-final against Petro de Luanda, to become the first Senegalese team to reach the BAL final. Jean Jacques Boissy had 28 points and Chris Crawford scored 26. The Douanes led the majority of the game and won their fifth straight BAL game, after losing their two opening games in the Sahara Conference.
The win for Douanes was widely seen as a "shock" as unbeaten Petro de Luanda were considered the title favourites.[9]
BK Arena, Kigali Attendance: 4,554 Referees: Marcy Williams, Jean Sauveur Ruhamiriza, Mbaye Seye
Stade Malien vs. Al Ahly
Al Ahly became the second Egyptian team to advance to the BAL Final, despite trailing by five at the half to Stade Malien. Ehab Amin led the Red Devils with a game-high 21 points. Stade Malien's Aliou Diarra recorded his sixth straight double-double, but was fouled out two minutes before the end of the game.[10]
BK Arena, Kigali Attendance: 6,102 Referees: Klyde Mulla, Jean Sauveur Ruhamiriza, Annie Joyce Muchenu
Third place game
Petro de Luanda played in its second third place game, having won the game in 2021. Stade Malien finished their surprising season by claiming the third place after pushing away from Petro in the final minutes of the game. Aliou Diarra had 25 points and 12 rebounds, his seventh double-double in as many games.
