No.1 seed Al Ittihad Alexandria survive FUS Rabat scare to advance to the semis

The No. 1 seed, Al Ittihad Alexandria, needed to overcome emotion, uncertainty, and nerve-racking moments to stay in contention in the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) playoffs.

The Egyptian giants needed an extra five minutes to defeat a team they had demolished twice during the 2025 Kalahari Conference.

Al Ittihad Alexandria prevailed, 86–83, in overtime in a game that could have gone either way.

How did we get to this point when very few saw it coming?

FUS Rabat's Jonathan Jordan reminded us that the BAL Playoffs are a different ball game, where small mistakes can ruin a whole season.

For the second time this season, Al Ittihad Alexandria escaped with a three-point victory under similar circumstances to their 72-69 win over Stade Malien.

In both games, Al Ittihad Alexandria never led by more than 10 points - a rarity considering their dominance throughout the regular season.

Things seemed to be going Omar Soliman’s team's way, but Nisre Zouzoua had other plans, extending FUS Rabat’s season by five minutes with his three-pointer that tied the game at 74–74 with two seconds left.

However, in the remaining five minutes, the Moroccan champions shot themselves in the foot.

They shot 2-for-7 from the floor, made just 3 of their 8 free throws, and turned the ball over twice.

With their BAL season on the line - having lost the 2025 Egyptian League title to Al Ahly SC the previous week - Al Ittihad Alexandria capitalized on FUS Rabat’s mistakes, delivering the final blow and securing their spot in the semifinals in just their first season.

In the process, the Alexandria-based club improved their season record to 8–0.

"This is a wake-up call for us. I'm just glad this wake-up call came early in the quarterfinals. It's a good reminder to stay focused,” said Al Ittihad Alexandria forward Youssef Aboushousha.

Sunday’s game was nothing like the previous two, in which Al Ittihad Alexandria outscored FUS Rabat 71-60 and 98-74, respectively.

“That's what the BAL is all about. Last year, it was either the fifth or sixth seed that made it to the finals,” said FUS Rabat guard Jonathan Jordan, who led all players in scoring with 23 points.

“We had to find a way to finish the game. A lot of that responsibility falls on me as the point guard and primary scorer. You have to be big in big moments like these,” Admitted.

He continued explaining how they proved some doubters wrong, especially those who never expected such a performance. Jordan said: "The BAL is becoming more competitive every year, with many good teams and players. In a format like this, you just have to be better than the other team on that day."

He admitted that FUS Rabat was to blame for their second straight loss in the postseason, which also marked the end of their 2025 BAL campaign.

"They got a lot of second-chance opportunities. We didn't grab many 50-50 balls. They just closed out the game better than us. We missed a lot of free throws," Jordan explained, adding, "When playing against a talented group like this, the little things matter. You have to minimize mistakes."

"We knew their sets and their game plan. We just came out and executed ours."

Our coaching staff did a wonderful job of preparing us mentally. They gave us the best chance to win tonight."

Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. and Kyle Vinales each scored 16 points. Lual-Acuil Jr. also grabbed 11 rebounds, earning his second double-double of the playoffs.

Majok Deng came off the bench to add 15 points, reminding everyone of his productivity throughout the season.

Aboushousha acknowledged that they must stay humble if they are to become the third Egyptian team to win the league title in five seasons.

"Some media outlets say that we are the best team in Africa, but other teams can have a good game on a given night and eliminate you. That's the BAL,” said the Egyptian international.

He also reminded us that teams can’t be underestimated.

“We played them twice before and won by a large margin. This time, however, they were much tougher. They came with a different mentality.

We knew it would be a tough game, but deep down, we were confident because we had beaten them twice in the Kalahari Conference on their home court. We didn't come to the game in the best shape. We have to change this mentality," Aboushousha stressed.

In the semifinals, Al Ittihad Alexandria will take on the winner of the quarterfinal game between US Monastir and Petro de Luanda.