10 facts you need to know about the recently concluded 2026 Kalahari Conference

Over the course of eight game days, Pretoria was at the heart of African basketball.

Six teams from six different countries competed in the Sahara Conference for one of the four spots available in the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Playoffs.  

There were many dramatic events in Pretoria, including long-standing records being broken, a newcomer causing a surprise by advancing to the post-season, and thousands of fans making their presence felt throughout. 

In the end:

- Debutants RSSB Tigers of Rwanda finished top of the conference with a 4–1 record, as did Petro de Luanda. The Tigers won the conference thanks to their head-to-head win over Petro.

- The RSSB Tigers (4–1), Petro de Luanda (4–1), Al Ahly Ly (3–2) and Dar City (2–3) qualified for the 2026 BAL Playoffs, which are scheduled to take place next month in Kigali, Rwanda. Meanwhile, Nairobi City Thunder (2–3) and the Johannesburg Giants (0–5) were eliminated.

- RSSB Tigers' shooting guard, Craig Randall II, set a new BAL scoring record with 54 points in the 104–92 win against Dar City. In the same game, Randall II set a new record for three-pointers by successfully making 11 of his long-range shots.

- Al Ahly Ly guard Damion Baugh set a new BAL assists record with 18 in a 118–97 win over Dar City.

- The 215 points scored in the Al Ahly Ly vs Dar City game (final score 118–97) are now the most ever scored in a BAL game.  

- For the first time in BAL history, ten games saw a team score 100 points or more.

- Fans consistently packed the SunBet Arena throughout the 15-game conference.

-  The BAL celebrated its 200th game since its inception in 2021, with a match between Petro de Luanda and the Nairobi City Thunder.

- As of 5 April 2026, Childe Dundao of Petro de Luanda holds the BAL record for the most minutes played in the league, at 1,073.55.

- Damion Baugh, Al Ahly's point guard, achieved the first triple-double in BAL history. This feat was achieved on 4 April 2026, in a 110–72 victory against Dar City. Baugh achieved double figures in three key categories, finishing with 11 points, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds.

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