The 10 Most Impactful Players in the 2022 Sahara Conference

At the end of the 2022 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Sahara Conference last week in Dakar, 10 players impacted the ten-day tournament in such a way that their names can’t be dissociated from the event in the Senegalese capital.

Who were the most influential players in the 2022 Sahara Conference?

Abdoulaye Harouna
TEAM - (AS Salé)
DOB - December-12-1992
NATIONALITY: Nigerien
POSITION: Shooting Guard

HEIGHT: 6’5
FORMER CLUB(s): F.A.P, NIGELEC, University of Miami

It’s not easy task to play alongside the BAL leading scorer Terrel Stoglin, and still manage to average 19.8 points in five games, but Harouna made things look so easy for most of the 2022 Sahara Conference.

The Nigerien guard, who joined the Moroccan champions from Cameroon’s F.A.P, not only ran the AS Salé’s offensive sapiently by creating shooting opportunities and contributing defensively, but he also stepped up when AS Salé’ needed him most. 

In the must-win game against SLAC, Harouna delivered his best 2022 Sahara Conference performance by making 8 of his 17 field-goal shootings to finish with 25 points as AS Salé got away with a 91-81 triumph that boosted their chances to secure their playoffs berth.

Terrel Stoglin

TEAM: AS Salé
DOB: November-10-1991
NATIONALITY: American
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6’1”
FORMER CLUB(s): Zamakek, University Maryland

Ever since he sparked Zamalek to the 2019 Egypt Super League title, Stoglin has needed no introduction in the African basketball scene.

When AS Salé’s re-signed him in February this year for his second BAL stint, Stoglin knew he had to live up to expectations, and he did that in Dakar.

With AS Salé’s  desperately needing to stay in contention for a playoffs spot, playing 120 minutes in their last three games was never an issue for the man who broke his own BAL record when he finished with 41 points in a 96-90 loss to US Monastir. Stoglin sparked AS Salé’s into the BAL last eight.

Ater Major
TEAM: US Monastir
DOB: July-4-1987
NATIONALITY: SUDAN/LEBANON

POSITION: Center
HEIGHT: 6’11”

FORMER CLUB(s): University of Connecticut and Los Angeles Lakers

To describe Majok’s impact in US Monastir’s rotation as key is an understatement. Majok was the heart and soul for the Tunisian champions in Dakar.

Still haunted by US Monastir’s defeat in the final of the inaugural BAL, Majok has recurringly reminded everyone that winning the BAL trophy in May in Kigali is their only goal.
And Majok backed his opinion with his terrific impact in five Sahara Conference games early this month. His four double-doubles in five games made a tremendous difference for US Monastir who closed the regular season at 4-1.
No-one described Majok’s influence better than Ferroviario da Beira Head Coach Luiz Hernandez: “We tried everything we possibly we could. When we tried to double-team him, he managed to move the ball and found an open man. His physique and agility caused us too many problems,” the Spaniard said of Majok.

Chris Obekpa
TEAM: Seydou Legacy Athlétique Club (SLAC)
DOB: November-11-1993
NATIONALITY: Nigerian
POSITION: Center
HEIGHT: 6’9”
FORMER CLUB(s): New Zealand Brokers; Santa Cruz Warriors (G League), St John’s University NY

Obekpa could easily be dubbed as SLAC’s Minister of Defense such was his impact in the defensive end of the floor.

The second highest rebounder in the Sahara Conference with 10.2 boards per game after Ater Majok, Obekpa set himself apart with his aggressive presence in the paint. The Nigerian international player not only contributed two double-doubles in five games, but he also led all players with a total of 23 block shots in five games.

Chris Crawford
TEAM: Seydou Legacy Athlétique Club (SLAC)
DOB: September-30-1992
NATIONALITY: American
POSITION: Shooting guard
HEIGHT: 6’3”
FORMER CLUB(s): Etoile Sportive Rades, US Monastir, Iowa Energy and Memphis Hustle (NBA G LEAGUE)

Crawford’s late arrival in Dakar was a major boost and lifeline for SLAC. The former US Monastir player joined the team two days before the start of the Sahara Conference and ended up as the Guinean’s champions engine offensively. So much so that when he fouled out in the third quarter in a highly-contended game against AS Salé, SLAC struggled to find answers to the Moroccan champions. Thankfully for SLAC, Crawford’s 21.4 points – the second highest after Stoglin – proved vital for SLAC, who reached the playoffs of a major continental competition for the very first time.

Adonis Filer
TEAM: Rwanda Energy Group (REG)

DOB: November-07-1993
NATIONALITY: Rwandan/American
POSITION: Point Guard
HEIGHT: 6’3”

FORMER CLUB(s): Patriots BC, Florida Atlantic

Filer has described himself as a sharer when he established a BAL record for most assists (16) in a game. It’s thanks to his tournament-high 9.2 assists per game that REG re-transformed from outsiders to Conference winners in a matter of just ten days.

The former Florida Atlantic University proved fundamental as the Rwandan champions secured their place in the playoffs in their hometown of Kigali in May.

Cleveland Thomas Jr.
TEAM: Rwanda Energy Group (REG)

DOB: February-12-1993
NATIONALITY: American
POSITION: Point Guard
HEIGHT: 6’4”

FORMER CLUB(s): Apollon Patras BC, Western Kentucky University

Thomas Jr’s team-high 19.2 points per game, in addition to his 6 assists per game have proven valuable for the Sahara Conference winners. Physically gifted on both ends of the floor, the former Western Kentucky University standout heads to the playoffs as one of the players to watch out for.

Jean Jacques Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza

TEAM: Rwanda Energy Group (REG)

DOB: June-26-1998
NATIONALITY: Rwandan
POSITION: Point Guard
HEIGHT: 6’0”

FORMER CLUB(s): Patriots BC

Nshobozwabyosenumukiza’s rise to stardom continued in Dakar.
Known for his aggressive defensive game, Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, who holds a FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers record for most steals (14) in a game, grabbed the headlines on Day 3 of the Sahara Conference when he rescued REG from what looked like an imminent defeat against SLAC. His buzzer-beater three-pointer completely changed the tournament’s picture. As REG Head Coach Robert Pack put it: “It was a huge morale booster for our team.” Nshobozwabyosenumukiza finished the Sahara Conference as the only player with 50 percent three-point shooting in five games.

Bamba Diallo
TEAM: Dakar Universite Club (DUC)

DOB: March-15-1996
NATIONALITY: Senegalese
POSITION: Shooting Guard
HEIGHT: 6’2”

FORMER CLUB(s): AS Douanes

The Senegalese international player did everything he possibly could to keep DUC in contention for a playoff berth, but things didn’t’ work out for the Senegalese champions.

Diallo came up with some incredible individual plays to the delight of DUC fans inside Dakar Arena. Facing elimination in the last day of the Sahara Conference against AS Salé, Diallo was 5-for-10 from behind the arc to finish with a team-high 30 points, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the 91-86 defeat.

Jermelle Kennedy
TEAM: Ferroviario da Beira

DOB: September-19-1989
NATIONALITY: Canadian
POSITION: Small Forward
HEIGHT: 6’6”

FORMER CLUB(s): Toulouse Basket

A combo forward who played a major role in Beira’s qualification to the BAL, Kennedy led the Mozambican champions in scoring with 15.6 points per game in Dakar. Kennedy’s 27 points against DUC – in what was Beira’s only win in five games – caused even more damages to the Sahara Conference hosts.

Beira may have come up short in the regular reason, but Kennedy’s talent was unquestionable.

Kennedy averaged 7 assists per game – the third highest in the Dakar showpiece.