KIGALI, Rwanda — Libya`s Al Ahli Tripoli secured a commanding 115-87 victory over Kenya`s Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) on Sunday, marking NCT`s second consecutive heavy defeat in the Basketball Africa League (BAL). This win also set a new league record for the highest team score in a single game.
The previous scoring record was 113-66, achieved by Tunisia`s US Monastir against Madagascar`s GNBC during the BAL`s inaugural season in 2021, also held in Kigali.
Entering the match, Ahli Tripoli was confident after defeating South Africa`s MBB 87-77 the previous day, while NCT had suffered a 92-63 loss to Rwanda`s APR.
Al Ahli started strong, quickly building a 19-7 lead with captain Mohamed Sadi leading the charge. However, NCT managed to find their rhythm later in the first quarter, reducing the deficit to 24-18 by the end of the period.
NCT continued their improved play early in the second quarter, narrowing Ahli`s lead to just two points (39-37). But Jean-Jacques Boissy then found his scoring touch, spearheading a decisive 14-1 run that gave Al Ahli Tripoli a substantial 53-38 advantage going into halftime.
Similar to their previous game against APR, NCT struggled significantly in the second half. Al Ahli dominated the start of the third quarter, outscoring NCT 18-3 to push their lead to 71-41. By the close of the third quarter, the score stood at 81-53, with Jaylen Adams and Boissy being key contributors.
The fourth quarter saw high scoring from both sides, with NCT`s Uchenna Iroegbu hitting shots from various spots on the court. Both teams scored 34 points in the final period, solidifying Al Ahli Tripoli`s position as the highest-scoring team in BAL history.
Top performers for Al Ahli included Boissy with 30 points, Adams with 26, Deon Thompson with 21, and Sadi with 20. For NCT, Iroegbu led with 18 points, supported by Eugene Phillips with 14 and Tylor Ongwae with 10.
Post-match, Al Ahli Tripoli head coach Fouad Abou Chacra praised Jean-Jacques Boissy`s role as a sixth man, despite his high scoring: “He is a young player (25) with very strong character. He`s a winner – he doesn`t like excuses… Every time he steps in, he`s a hard worker.” Chacra added about his team`s chemistry: “I`m blessed as a coach because these guys are not only great players. They are great men… They all love each other; they tap in directly and they correct each other. There is no distance between these players. That`s why, Boissy stepping in as a sixth man will for sure be the best sixth man at this tournament.”
Looking ahead, Al Ahli Tripoli is scheduled to play APR on Tuesday, while NCT will aim to recover from their losses against South Africa`s MBB on the same day.
