There’s a number of questions that need answers when the Kalahari Conference resumes on Sunday at SunBet Arena in Pretoria.
Kalahari Conference hosts Cape Town Tigers and Petro de Luanda will face each other for the third straight BAL season.
Both teams are chasing their first wins in BAL Season 4.
Two games into the Basketball Africa League (BAL) season, it’s inevitable to ask:
Can Petro de Luanda win their first BAL game since beating ABC Fighters on May 21, 2023, in Kigali?
What does the home team the Cape Town Tigers need to do to upset a higher-ranked opponent?
What exactly is not working for Petro that the Angolan champions can’t fight back when found in a trailing position?
Are the Tigers capable of reciprocating their fans’ tireless support?
CAIRO, EGYPT - APRIL 10: Gerson Da Silva Domingos #1 of the Clube Atlético Petroleos de Luanda dribbles the ball during the game against the Cape Town Tigers on April 10, 2022 at the Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Julien Bacot/NBAE via Getty Images)
Petro de Luanda forward Aboubakar Gakou shed light on his team’s current form.
Gakou said:
“It was a necessary defeat [against FUS Rabat ]. Had we won this game with the number of errors that we made we would have thought that everything was perfect. This game taught us a valuable lesson as we found out what we did wrong, but we have more games to play and we’ll be good moving forward.”
“We are still title contenders,” the 6’7 forward added.
Cape Town Tigers guard Samkelo Cele explained what they need to come up on top against Petro de Luanda:
“If we protect the ball, if we rebound more, if we play defense all the way through the shot clock we could just fine.”
CAIRO, EGYPT - APRIL 30: Pedro Bastos #4 of the Petro de Luanda dribbles the ball during the game against the Cape Town Tigers on April 30, 2023 at the Dr Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Julien Bacot/NBAE via Getty Images)
Find below some fact files about Petro de Luanda and Cape Town Tigers:
When Petro de Luanda and Cape Town Tigers first met in the BAL Season 2 in Cairo, the former prevailed 90-61. A year later, still in the Egyptian capital, the Angolan champions cruised to an 87-48 comprehensive victory.
Petro de Luanda never lost four BAL games in a row.
Cape Town Tigers last won a BAL game on May 20, 2023, when they beat City Oilers 80-70 in the Nile Conference in Cairo, Egypt.
Cape Town Tigers have reached the BAL Quarterfinals in the two BAL seasons (2022 and 2023) they participated.
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