Diarra, Cele named to the All-BAL Defensive Team for the second season in a row

The 2024 All-BAL Defensive Team was announced on Friday with Aliou Diarra and Samkelo Cele making the list for the season in a row.
 
Diarra and Cele are joined in the 2024 All-BAL Defensive Team by Abdoulaye Harouna (AS Douanes), and Al Ahly Ly’s duo Jo-Lual Acuil Jr., and Solo Diabate.
 
The announcement was made during the third-place game between Rivers Hoopers and Cape Town Tigers.

2023 BAL Defensive of the Year, Aliou Diarra (FUS de Rabat) averaged 7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.
 
Samkelo Cele, who helped Cape Town Tigers to reach the 2024 BAL semifinals, not only led his team in scoring with 21 points per game, but he also made his presence felt defensively, contributing 2.4 steals per game.
 
Acuil-Jr, who headed to the 2024 BAL Final averaging a league-high of 22 points per game, contributed defensively with 2 blocks per game while averaging 7 rebounds in 9 games.
 
Diabate, who came off the bench for most of Al Ahly Ly’s 9 games this season, disrupted opponents’ plays with 2 steals per game, while dishing out 6 assists per game.
 
AS Douanes’ Abdoulaye Harouna led the 2024 season averaging 4 steals per game.