Al Ahly Ly relegate Al Ahly EGY to Fourth-Place

Al Ahly Libya outscored their Egyptian namesakes 106–98 in the 2026 BAL Third-Place Game in Kigali, Rwanda, on Sunday. 

The Libyan champions returned to their usual high-scoring ways after being limited to just 88 points in the semi-final against Petro de Luanda.

This was the second consecutive game in which Al Ahly SC conceded 106 points, following their 106-97 defeat to the RSSB Tigers in the semi-final.

Al Ahly Ly led from start to finish, at one point leading by as many as 20 points in the first half, and closed their 2026 BAL campaign with a win–loss record of 6–3. Al Ahly SC also finished with a 6–3 record.

Al Ahly SC fought back in the third quarter, closing the gap to four points (77–73), but the Benghazi team quickly regained control to secure the win.

Majok Deng and Charlie Moore led Al Ahly with a combined 52 points. Mohamed Sadi, the only other Al Ahly Ly player to score in double digits, finished with 19 points. 

Ibrahim Zahran led Al Ahly SC in scoring with 23 points. 

Going into the 2026 BAL Third-Place Playoff, Al Ahly SC held a 2–1 head-to-head advantage over Al Ahly LC, dating back to the 2024 season. The Libyan champions' sole victory against their rivals occurred in the quarter-finals of the same season at the BK Arena in Kigali.

WHAT THEY SAID:

Ahmad Abizio (Al Ahly Ly)

"Although we didn’t win the title, we are happy to have finished strongly and secured third place. Libyan teams continue to play a part in the BAL title race, which bodes well for our country." 

"Playing at this level is a dream come true, but deep down, we really wanted to win the BAL title.@

Ibrahim Zahran (Al Ahly SC)

"I am really glad to have been part of this group of players. It was a long season, and things didn't go as we had hoped, but we are looking forward to the next BAL season." 

"Regarding this group of players, our domestic schedule didn’t allow us to play together or get to know each other. We will only get better and stronger from this experience." 

"We fought hard, and we could have won the semi-final, but things didn’t go our way."

"We'll be back next year, ready to give it our all. Unlike some of my teammates and my brother, I have never personally won the BAL, but I am eager to hold the BAL trophy."

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