L. MathekaUS Monastir crowned new BAL Champions
Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 29.05.22. | 18:00
The first edition of the showpiece was won by Zamalek who finished third this edition.
Tunisia’s US Monastir defeated Angola’s Petro de Luanda 83-72 to win the 2022 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Final, which took place at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda on Sunday 28 May.
Following the game, BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall presented US Monastir with the BAL Final's Trophy as the champion's guard Michael Dixon was crowned BAL's Most Valuable Player.
Dixon recorded averages of 16.5 points and 4.1 assists and a team-high 21.3 points per game during the Playoffs.
Tunisia’s US Monastir Crowned 2022 Basketball Africa League Champions - https://t.co/1P6J023v87 pic.twitter.com/8f4WiP7buv
— Africans Building Africa (@AfricansBA) May 29, 2022
2022 BAL Champion US Monastir went 7-1 during the Sahara Conference group phase and Playoffs, defeating South Africa’s Cape Town Tigers and Egypt’s Zamalek in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, to advance to the Final. Zamalek defeated Cameroon’s F.A.P 97-74 in the third-place game on Sunday.
NBA Global Ambassador and NBA Africa investor Dikembe Mutombo (Democratic Republic of the Congo), BAL Global Ambassador and NBA Africa investor Luol Deng (South Sudan), NBA Africa investors Joakim Noah (U.S.; ties to Cameroon) and Ian Mahinmi (France; ties to Benin), Olumide Oyedeji (Nigeria) and Charles Smith (U.S.) were among the former NBA players who attended games throughout the Playoffs.
Following the third-place game, the league announced several end-of-season awards, some of which honor pioneering African NBA legends:
Brazilian Jose Neto @netobasket has been named @theBAL Coach of the Year after leading @petro_de_luanda of #Angola 🇦🇴 to Saturday’s finals against @USMonastirBB of #Tunisia 🇹🇳. pic.twitter.com/vqpOIRKS0U
— Sonny Side of Sports (@VOASonnySports) May 27, 2022
José Neto of Petro de Luanda led his team to a 4-1 record in the Nile Conference before defeating Morocco’s AS Salé and Cameroon’s F.A.P to advance to the Final and was named 2022 BAL Coach of the Year.
Ater James Majok of US Monastir helped lead his team to a 7-1 record and the championship after recording averages of 11 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 13.6 points per game, statisticsthat saw him crowned 2022 Defensive Player of the Year
Ater James #Majok wins the Dikembe Mutombo Defensive Player of the Year #2022
— Sam A. Sewanyana-Junior (@MajSewanyana) May 28, 2022
Congrats to the #SouthSudanese Lion @IamAterMajok @nkotanyidamas @ferwabaRW @AriMugabe88 @theBAL #theBAL #RwOT pic.twitter.com/a3jUtUO4Ua
Anas Mahmoud of Zamalek, who last year won the Defensive Player of the Year following Zamalek’s win in the inaugural BAL Final, received the Manute Sportsmanship Award for exemplifying the ideals of sportsmanship and camaraderie.
Terrel Stoglin of AS Salé averaged a league-high 30.8 points over the course of the 2022 BAL season, having played a minimum six games and was crowned the 2022 BAL Scoring Champion.
