The last six games that will determine the last three playoffs spots of the 2024 season

The second round of the 2024 Sahara Conference gets underway at Dakar Arena on Thursday, May 9.

The last six games of the conference will determine the remaining three playoffs spots of the 2024 BAL season.

In the build-up to Thursday’s action, Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers lead the conference 3-0. They are followed by Rwanda’s APR (2-1).

Hosts AS Douanes sit in the third place with one win in three games while US Monastir are yet to register their first win of the season.

Despite the current standings, it’s still anyone’s game as no team has qualified nor eliminated from playoff contention yet although Thursday’s results might increase or reduce their chances of making it to Kigali.

Second Round tips off Thursday

The first game of the 2024 Sahara Conference second round will see APR going up against US Monastir at 4:00 pm GMT before AS Douanes take on Rivers Hoopers three hours later.

With a 0-3 mark and a negative point-differential (-43), the 2022 BAL champions US Monastir must win all three games.

A loss to APR on Thursday would seriously compromise their chances of extending their BAL season beyond May 12.

When APR and US Monastir faced off in the first round of the conference, the Rwandan side came back from a 6-point deficit in the last minute of the game before prevailing 89-84 in overtime.

“The game against APR is a must-win for us,” US Monastir head coach Mohamed Kerdani admitted.

The former Egyptian national team player went on to say: “We still have hope for the next three games. Anything can happen in basketball. Off course the first three defeats were very tough for us. Hopefully, this situation [being eliminated in the group stages for the second season in a row] won’t happen again. Off course, as a former [BAL] champion it puts pressure on us.”

APR closed the first round of the conference with an encouraging 66-61 triumph over AS Douanes.

“When people around Africa watch our games they don’t turn if off until there’s zero-zero on the clock. It’s down to the wire every game we play,” APR head coach Mazen Trakh said.

Who can stop the high-flying Rivers Hoopers?

No team was able to contain Rivers Hoopers’ fast-paced game in the first three games.

Can the Nigerian champions maintain their impressive run in the second round?

The first team who can try to beat the Hoopers on Thursday is no-one other than hosts AS Douanes, who fell to the Port Harcourt-based team 77-68 in the first round.

Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu says he is happy with the position they are in but, “It’s not over yet. It’s just the beginning; we need to go back to the drawing board,” the former Nigerian national team guard said.