Craig Randall sets two BAL records, helps RSSB improve to 4-0

Craig Randall set two Basketball Africa League (BAL) records while helping the RSSB Tigers extend their unbeaten run to four games, with one Kalahari Conference game remaining.

Randall powered the Tigers to a 104–92 win over Dar City in Pretoria on Saturday.

He shot 18-for-36 from the floor, including an impressive 11-for-24 from the three-point line, setting a new BAL record with his 54 points.

Randall and his RSSB Tigers, who had secured their place in the play-offs the previous day, took to the court hinting at a historic performance as they scored their first six points from behind the arc. 

Randall opened the scoring with a three-pointer, and his teammate Axel Mpoyo followed it up with another to make it 6–2.

Randall scored more than half of the RSSB Tigers' 104 points. Two other Tigers players, Antino Jackson and Makong Mathiang, also scored in double figures, finishing with 15 points each. 

Not only did the left-handed shooter set a new BAL scoring record, but he also set a new record for the most three-pointers in a game with his 11 triples. The previous three-point record in the BAL belonged to his RSSB Tigers teammate, Axel Mpoyo (10).

This was the third time in four games that the RSSB Tigers had scored over 100 points. 

At one point during the game, they were leading by 17 points.

Dar City took to the court, desperate to win their third game of the conference and secure their place in the playoffs. However, the RSSB Tigers proved too strong.

To make matters worse for the Tanzanian champions, two of their key players, David Michineau and Michael Foster, were unable to play. 

Junior Madut and Daniel Utomi were Dar City's top scorers with 21 points each, while Nisre Zouzoua finished with 19 and Sisco Ngaiza added 15. 

“They played a tremendous game,” admitted Zouzoua. 

'We just have to focus a bit more on defence. They made some tough shots, but it's hard to win when you concede 100 or more points. We have to be better defensively.”

Zouzoua was Randall’s primary defender. He said: ‘Hats off to him for his tremendous shooting ability.’

Dar City concluded their Kalahari Conference with a 2–3 record, while RSSB Tigers will take on Nairobi City Thunder on Sunday in their final conference game.