PREVIEW (3 April 2026) - Closing in on the 2026 BAL Playoffs spots

While the top and bottom teams in the Kalahari Conference enjoy a rest day on Friday, 3 April, four others will compete to improve their chances of securing one of the four places in the 2026 BAL Playoffs. 

With two games remaining, the Johannesburg Giants are currently bottom of the Kalahari Conference table with a record of 0–3 record, while the RSSB Tigers are top of the table after winning all three of their games.

Petro de Luanda and Dar City, who have both won two of their first three games, will face off on Friday in the most anticipated game of the day.

Earlier in the day, Al Ahly Ly and Nairobi City Thunder, who have each won one of their three games, will compete in a game that could reignite their Playoffs aspirations. 

Al Ahly Ly vs Nairobi City Thunder (16:00 local time)

If Al Ahly Ly win against the Thunder on Friday, the Libyan champions will improve to 2–2, boosting their best-case scenario of finishing 3–2 at the end of the Conference if they win their last game. The same applies to the Thunder if they beat Al Ahly Ly.

However, if Al Ahly Ly lose to the Thunder, the best they can achieve at the end of the Kalahari Conference is a 2–3 record, provided they beat the Johannesburg Giants in their final game on Saturday 4 April. 

If the Thunder lose to Al Ahly Ly on Friday, they will drop to 1–3 with one game left, and the best they can achieve is a 2–3 record if they beat the RSSB Tigers on Sunday, 5 April. 

Petro de Luanda vs Dar City (19:00 local time)

The winner of Friday's game between Petro de Luanda and Dar City will improve their record to 3–1 and could qualify for the playoffs. This is because the losing team in the game between Al Ahly and Nairobi City Thunder will have a record of 1–3 with one game left.

Meanwhile, the losing team of the game between Petro de Luanda and Dar City will drop to 2–2 and must wait to find out their conference outcome.

RSSB Tigers 

RSSB Tigers are qualified to the Playoffs because the losing team of the game between Al Ahly Ly and NCT will become the second team to enter the three-loss territory. The RSSB Tigers’ worst-case scenario is a 3–2 record. 

For the RSSB Tigers, the best-case scenario is finishing with four or five wins at the end of the conference.