June 10, 2025

🏀 🏆 BAL 2025 Showdown – Semifinals: Al Ittihad (AIA) vs Petro de Luanda (PDL)

Reigning Basketball Africa League (BAL) champions Petro de Luanda are 1-2 against Egyptian teams, dating back to 2021 when they fell in the semifinals 89-71 to eventual champions Zamalek.

Before taking on BAL debutant Al Ittihad Alexandria in another semifinal showdown on Wednesday in Pretoria, Petro de Luanda fell to Zamalek (85-72) during the 2022 Nile Conference.

However, the Angolan giants upset Al Ahly SC 91-90 in Cairo in the 2023 BAL season, although they finished fourth while Al Ahly SC went on to lift the BAL trophy.

Find below some key statistics that you need to know about the matchup between Petro de Luanda and Al Ittihad

•⁠ ⁠📆 Wednesday, June 11 | 🕖 7PM Local Time
•⁠ ⁠🏀 First meeting of the season

📊 BAL 2025 Records:
•⁠ ⁠🔹 AIA: 8-0 (Undefeated)
•⁠ ⁠🔹 PDL: 4-4

📈 Key Team Stats:

*Patrick Hardy Jr #10 of U.S. Monastir handles the ball during the game against Petro de Luanda during the Sahara Conference Group on May 1, 2025 at Dakar Arena in Diamniadio, Senegal.*

🛡 Elite Defenses Collide:
•⁠ ⁠AIA: 🔒 73.1 OPPG (BAL #1)
•⁠ ⁠PDL: 🔒 73.9 OPPG (BAL #2)

🏹 3PT Edge – AIA:
•⁠ ⁠10.8 3PM/G (#3 BAL) vs PDL’s 7.8 (#11)
•⁠ ⁠AIA is +9 PPG from deep

🏀 Paint Attack – PDL
•⁠ ⁠38.0 PITP/G (T-#3) vs AIA’s 33.8 (#7)

*Kyle Vinales #11 of Al Ittihad Alexandria looks on during the game against FUS de Rabat during the Kalahari Conference on April 13, 2025, Rabat, Morocco.*

🤝 Ball Movement – AIA:
•⁠ ⁠AIA: 22.3 AST/G (#3)
•⁠ ⁠PDL: 20.4 AST/G (#6)

👐 Turnover Battle – Top 2 Teams:
•⁠ ⁠AIA: 11.4 TOV/G (#1)
•⁠ ⁠PDL: 13.8 TOV/G (#2)

🛡 Steals Leaders:
•⁠ ⁠PDL: 11.4 STL/G (#3)
•⁠ ⁠AIA: 8.3 STL/G (T-#5)

*Johnathan Jordan #1 of the of the Fath Union Sports de Rabat handles the ball during the game against the Al Ittihad Alexandria on April 5, 2025, Rabat, Morocco.*

📈 Scoring Differential & PPG – Advantage AIA:
•⁠ ⁠AIA: +14.1 PPG (#2) | 87.1 PPG (#3)
•⁠ ⁠PDL: +3.0 PPG (#5) | 76.9 PPG (#10)

👀 Player Highlights:
🎯 Sharpshooters from AIA (High Efficiency):
•⁠ ⁠Abdelhady Metwaly: 47.8% from 3 (11-23, BAL #2)
•⁠ ⁠Youssef Shehata: 47.4% from 3 (9-19, BAL #3)

🧠 Playmaker / Top Performer Watch:
•⁠ ⁠Kyle Vinales (AIA): 12.8 PTS | 5.5 AST/G (#4 in BAL)
o One of just 7 players averaging 5+ APG
•⁠ ⁠Majok Deng (AIA) – 14.9 PTS
•⁠ ⁠George King (AIA) – 14.1 PTS
•⁠ ⁠Patrick Gardner (PDL) – 13.5 PTS
•⁠ ⁠Childe Dundao (PDL) – 4.8 AST

*Jo Lual Acuil #7 of Al Ittihad Alexandria handles the ball during the game against FUS de Rabat during the 2025 Basketball Africa League Playoffs on June 8, 2025, at SunBet Arena in Pretoria, Tshwane.*

📌 What to Watch:
•⁠ ⁠Can AIA’s 3PT shooting stretch PDL’s D?
•⁠ ⁠AIA’s perfect run is on the line — does PDL have the formula to stop them?

🔍 Matchup Storylines:
•⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠Egyptian Patrick Gardner to face an Egyptian team for the first time in the BAL.
•⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠Can Al Ittihad Alexandria become the third team from Egypt to reach the BAL Final?
•⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠Can Petro de Luanda reach the BAL Final for the third time in five seasons?
•⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠The last time the reigning BAL MVP Jo Lual Acuil Jr. (Al Ittihad) faced Petro de Luanda, the South Sudanese center ended up in the losing end while playing for Al Ahly Ly last season.