What we learnt from Gameday 2 from the Kalahari Conference

With all six teams having played at least one game in the 2026 Kalahari Conference, the unpredictability of the tournament remains high in Pretoria.

In this article, we share our key takeaways from game day 2 of the Kalahari Conference.

Al Ahly Ly are racing against the clock

Al Ahly Libya, the 2024 BAL runners-up, arrived in Pretoria boasting an impressive 7–0 record achieved in the Road to BAL qualifiers last November.

However, after two games of the 2026 BAL season, the Libyan champions find themselves in an unexpected position.

Al Ahly Ly have turned things around before. For example, in their BAL debut in 2024, they concluded their Nile Conference campaign with a 3–3 record, ultimately reaching the Championship Game in Kigali.

The concern, however, is that the Benghazi-based team has conceded 103 and 104 points in their last two games.

Al Ahly Ly's next three games — against the Johannesburg Giants, Dar City and Nairobi City Thunder — are must-wins. In fact, Al Ahly Ly are now racing against the clock.

Ruthless Petro de Luanda shrugged off Al Ahly Ly

Petro de Luanda are the only team to have played in all six editions of the BAL and showed on Saturday night what they are made of.

The two-time runners-up and 2024 champions ruthlessly defeated Al Ahly Ly 104–90, making a statement about their intentions in the Kalahari Conference.

Can anyone stop Dar City?

Dar City, who secured the final spot in the 2026 BAL season, do not look like a debutant team.

The Tanzanian champions overcame the Nairobi City Thunder 90–85 in a game that could have gone either way.

Dar City are now 2–0 with three games to play.

The team, coached by Mamadou Gueye, trailed by 13 points at one stage but emerged victorious.

Fans

Even though the Johannesburg Giants weren't playing on Saturday, 5,576 loyal fans still made their presence felt at the SunBet Arena, showing their love for the game. Petro de Luanda and Al Ahly lived up to expectations, keeping fans on the edge of their seats throughout the match.

The Fan Zone outside the SunBet Arena was another meeting point for fans, offering the chance to buy BAL merchandise and socialise with friends.

The top performers of Gameday 2

Gameday 2 of the 2026 Kalahari Conference saw a number of jaw-dropping individual performances.

Dar City relied on David Michineau to stay on the court throughout, and the French international delivered a magnificent performance, finishing with 39 points, seven assists and eight rebounds, helping the Tanzanian champions to beat Nairobi City 90–85.

Childe Dundao came off the bench to secure Petro de Luanda a 104–90 win over Al Ahly Ly. The reigning AfroBasket MVP finished with a team-high 27 points, three assists, and an efficiency rating of 27.

Joining Dundao among Petro de Luanda's top performers was Milton Valente, who shot 9 for 11 to finish with 19 points and 3 rebounds.

Despite Jo Lual Acuil playing for the full 40 minutes and finishing with a team-high 40 points and 14 rebounds, Al Ahly Ly lost to Petro de Luanda.

Kalahari Conference after Gameday 2:

Dar City: 2–0
Petro de Luanda: 1–0
RSSB Tigers: 1–0
Al Ahly Ly: 0–2
Nairobi City Thunder: 0–1
Johannesburg Giants: 0–1