GameDay 6 PREVIEW – Club Africain vs Maktown Flyers; JCA Kings vs Al Ahly 

Saturday's double-header in the 2026 Sahara Conference, which is taking place in Rabat, Morocco, could produce mixed results when Club Africain, Maktown Flyers, JCA Kings and Al Ahly take to the floor.

In the first game, Club Africain — the only team to have secured their playoff spot with a perfect 3–0 record — will take on Maktown Flyers, a team aiming to keep their post-season aspirations alive.

In the second game of the day, the 2023 BAL champions, Al Ahly, will face the JCA Kings, who are chasing their first win after losing their opening three games. 

Here’s everything you need to know about games 10 and 11 of the 2026 Sahara Conference in Rabat on Saturday, 1 May.

Club Africain vs Maktown Flyers (15:00 local time)

This is a clash between two teams who are both making their debut in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and who have never competed against each other in any other continental competition. Both teams automatically qualified for this season of the Basketball Africa League.

While a quick look at the statistics does not reveal any particularly impressive figures for Club Africain, it is their tenacity and tireless fighting spirit that make the Tunisian champions a tough opponent.

With Omar Abada running their offence with masterly skill, Club Africain are a constant threat.

Abada, the Tunisian international and 2021 All-BAL Team member, is leading the conference in playing time with 34 minutes per game. He also leads Club Africain with team highs of 17.3 points and seven assists per game.

Other key players for Club Africain during the first three games were Ibrahim Kalil Cissé and Jamelle Hagins, who gave their all, averaging nine and five rebounds respectively. 

Club Africain won their three games by single digits. They scored an average of 78 points while conceding 74.

What is another key asset for Club Africain? Their travelling fans. They have been tireless and supportive throughout, creating a unique atmosphere in the BAL.

Whether or not Club Africain will slow down remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: if they are to overcome the Flyers — a team that averages nine three-pointers per game and ranks second in the conference with 21 assists per game — Club Africain will need to step up their game to protect their unbeaten run.

The Maktown Flyers will enter Saturday’s game against Club Africain looking to even their win–loss record, having lost two of their previous three games. 

A win against Club Africain is all Maktown need to keep their playoff dream alive.

Jawad Adekoya has scored 24 of his 40 points from long range so far and could be Maktown’s main weapon in derailing Club Africain’s perfect run.

Talking to the BAL.NBA.COM, Adekoya said: “We need to tidy up a few things on defence. The offence may have faltered slightly in the fourth quarter [against Al Ahly], but I feel like we showed great grit in this game, and we need to carry that over. We need to put this loss behind us and focus on Club Africain on Friday.”

JCA Kings vs Al Ahly (18:00 local time)

This is a matchup between two teams that qualified for the 2026 BAL season in different ways. The Kings had to play in the Road to BAL qualifier, finishing with a record of 7-1, while Al Ahly secured their spot automatically by winning the 2025 Egyptian league title.

For the JCA Kings, beating Al Ahly is essential; otherwise, they will drop to 0–4 and be eliminated from playoff contention.

Al Ahly are heading into Saturday’s clash against the JCA Kings on a two-game winning streak, having lost their opening conference game against Club Africain. 

The Egyptian champions won't want to delay their third consecutive BAL Playoffs qualification, but to achieve this, they will have to win a gruelling rebounding battle against a team that leads the conference in this category. 

Kevin Murphy is Al Ahly's main scoring option, averaging 20.7 points per game and making 46% of his three-point attempts. Zack Lofton is the team’s primary playmaker, averaging 6.3 assists per game.

Similarly to Club Africain, who have already qualified for the next round, Al Ahly average 78 points while conceding 74. Might they be the next team to move on? Only time will tell. 

The Kings’ BAL debut has been anything but easy. Not only do the Ivorian side average the lowest number of points per game (66), they also have the lowest assists rating per game (14). 

Jonathan Cissé is the Kings' top scorer with 19 points per game. 

One thing the JCA Kings can be proud of is their rebounding ability. They currently top the league with an average of 45 rebounds per game.

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