10 Greatest comebacks in BAL history

As we come to the end of the sixth season of the BAL, we take a look at some of the most memorable come-from-behind victories in the league's history.

Here are the greatest comebacks in BAL history.

18 May 2021 - Stoglin took over in the fourth - FAP vs. AS Salé

Cameroon’s FAP were leading AS Salé by 13 points early in the fourth quarter, but ultimately lost by four (87–84), mainly due to the Moroccan champions' offensive adjustments.

In the decisive fourth quarter, Terrel Stoglin rolled up his sleeves, dishing out four assists and scoring 15 of his 28 points to secure AS Salé's four-point victory.  

30 May 2021 - Diabaté’s threes lifted Zamalek – US Monastir vs. Zamalek

US Monastir were in control early in the game, having led by as many as 11 points in the first half. 

However, with just four points separating Monastir and Zamalek at the end of the third quarter, coach Agustín Julbe brought Solo Diabaté off the bench to deliver the final blow, after which the game was never the same again.

Diabate sank three of his three-pointers in the final quarter, finishing with 14 points and helping Zamalek to beat US Monastir 76–63 in the Championship Game.

28 May 2022 - Monastir’s fourth quarter too much for Petro – US Monastir vs. Petro de Luanda

Heading into the fourth and final decisive quarter, US Monastir's largest lead was their opening basket of the game – a floater from Radhouane Slimane. 

Petro de Luanda then dominated completely the 2022 Championship Game, but when it mattered most, the Angolan giants faltered, allowing US Monastir to win the league with a 26-13 scoring run and a final score of 83-72.  

27 May 2024 - Faust saved Petro’s season off the bench – AS Douanes vs. Petro de Luanda

Petro de Luanda found themselves 20 points behind (62-42) early in the fourth quarter, but they managed to turn things around when few expected it. 

Jean Jacques Boissy was giving Petro all sorts of offensive trouble with his 28 points, 25 of which were scored in the first three quarters. 

It took Petro de Luanda far too long to find their secret weapon on the bench. Nicholas Faust, who didn’t play in the first half and shot 1-for-4 in the third, turned out to be the unsung hero. 

Faust brought the energy and spark that Petro needed, making two crucial steals and scoring nine game-changing points in the fourth quarter to secure Petro de Luanda a 66-65 quarter-final win over the Senegalese champions.

Petro outscored AS Douanes 17–3 in the final five minutes of the game. They went on to win the 2024 BAL season title.

25 May 2025 - Prinsloo’s career-high hurt the Thunder – NCT vs. MBB

The Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) put in a dream performance in the third quarter, outscoring the MBB of South Africa 18-0 and taking a 51-33 lead. 

However, MBB weren’t prepared to go down without a fight. They made seven of their eight free throw attempts, had three steals and prevented NCT’s leading scorer, Evans Ganapamo, from scoring in the fourth quarter. More importantly, Pieter Prinsloo’s career-high 30 points for BAL turned out to be the game-changing factor in their 75-74 victory.

25 April 2026 - Fifteen unforgettable seconds for Club Africain – Al Ahly SC vs. Club Africain

When it looked like Al Ahly SC had won, Club Africain staged an unprecedented comeback in BAL history.

Trailing by seven points with just fifteen seconds left, Club Africain’s Omar Abada sank a three-pointer. This was followed by two free throws awarded after an unsportsmanlike foul by Malek Abdelgowad, which Zied Chennofi converted. 

The game-changing moment came next, when Abada found Oussama Marnaoui wide open for a three-pointer with just seven seconds remaining, sealing the 69–68 win for the Tunisian side.   

Kevin Murphy's last-gasp floater rattled the rim as Drew Cisse secured his 13th and final rebound of the game.

11 May 2025 - Club Africain shut down Maktown after a slow start – Club Africain vs. Maktown Flyers

Nigeria’s Maktown Flyers got off to a flying start, leading by 18 points at the end of the opening quarter. 

However, Club Africain responded in style, leading by 20 points (83–63) with five minutes remaining, and went on to win the game 86–77.

23 May 2026 - Dar City shock Petro – Dar City vs. Petro de Luanda

After beating Dar City by 25 points (100–75) in their first Kalahari Conference meeting in Pretoria, South Africa, Petro de Luanda seemed too confident with their 10-point lead (68–58) at the end of the third quarter of the first round of the quarterfinals. 

However, the Tanzanian champions produced an astonishing performance in the final ten minutes, outscoring the 2024 BAL winners 30–14 to secure the 88–82 victory.

28 May 2026 - Petro cancelled off 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter – Al Ahly Ly vs. Petro de Luanda

Al Ahly Ly led for 29 of the 40 minutes of regulation; they had a 11-point lead early in the third quarter and appeared to be on their way to a place in the 2026 BAL final. 

However, Petro de Luanda's four three-pointers in the fourth quarter turned the tide, and they won 94–88.

31 May 2026 - RSSB Tigers’ incredible comeback shocked Petro – RSSB Tigers vs. Petro de Luanda

This is the second time in BAL history that a team has come back from a 20-point deficit to win the game. 

Both games involved Petro de Luanda.

After trailing by 20 points and ultimately beating AS Douanes in the 2024 quarterfinals, Petro de Luanda got off to a flying start in the 2026 BAL Final. 

They scored 20 unanswered points in five and a half minutes, suggesting they were on their way to becoming the first team to win the league twice. 

However, the Tigers' 26–10 scoring run turned the game on its head, and they led 42–37 at half-time. 

Although Petro de Luanda took a six-point lead midway through the final quarter, the Tigers responded with a 24–14 scoring run to win the game 90–88. 

This was the first time in BAL history that the Championship Game was decided by a difference of less than ten points.

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