Your latest news on the Nile Conference's teams

The clock is ticking fast for the 2023 Nile Conference, and the six participating teams are busy, gearing up for the showdown in the Egyptian capital city from April 26 to May 6.

From new signings to trying to win their national leagues, Al Ahly (Egypt), Cape Town Tigers (South Africa), Ferroviario da Beira (Mozambique), Petro de Luanda (Angola), City Oilers (Uganda) and SLAC (Guinea), are looking to reach Cairo in the best rhythm and force possible.

Here are the latest news on the Nile Conference teams.

Majok finally joins Petro

Winner of the 2022 Dikembe Mutombo Defensive Player of the year award, Ater James Majok landed in the Angolan capital on Wednesday, April 5.

Majok becomes the second BAL champion – after his former US Monastir teammate Solo Diabate – to sign for Petro de Luanda.

The Angolan champions, who kept most of its squad from last season, will be able to defend its Angolan League title after sweeping Vila Clotilde in the best-of-three semi-finals series.

Petro de Luanda will face arch-rival Primeiro de Agosto who beat InterClube (3-1) in the semi-finals.

Majok is expected to make his Petro de Luanda debut in the Final of the Angolan League, which tips off on Wednesday, April 12.

Jones, Roebuck Jr., and Barnaba to re-join for City Oilers

At the time of writing, the Oilers were 7-0 in the Ugandan National Championship, a competition they are using to polish the team’s game plans for the Nile Conference.

The Ugandan champions, who will make their BAL debut against Petro de Luanda, kept most of its roster from the qualification round, including Americans Germaine Roebuck Jr., and Falando Jones and South Sudanese Ngor Barnaba.

Although they aren’t playing in the National Championship, Roebuck Jr., Falando and Barnaba will join the Oilers in Cairo a week before the start of the Nile Conference.

Former BAL MVP Hodge

Walter Hodge – the man who led Zamalek to the title of the first BAL season – started this campaign with Al Ahly, but he has since returned to his native Puerto Rico.

Hodge told the bal.nba.com. 'I had some situations back home with my family that I had to com come back. So, I talked to the team that I had to get out.'

By Monday, April 10, Al Ahly - one of the two BAL debutants alongside City Oilers – led Zamalek (2-0) in the best-of-five Super League semi-finals.

Former Lakers and Knicks assistant coach joins Cape Town

BAL Quarter-finalists last season, Cape Town Tigers made a few a adjustments to its roster.

Zaire Wade, former Oklahoma City Thunder Josh Hall and Sameko Cele are the new faces for the Tigers’ second BAL season.

And former assistant coach with the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers Rasheed Hazzard had joined Cape Town’s coaching staff and will work alongside Flosh Ngwenya who led the Tigers during the qualification round last November.

Former Petro de Luanda’s Richards joins SLAC

Seydou Legacy Athletique Club are headed to Cairo “aiming to win two or three games”, according to head coach Zeljko Zecevic.

The Guinean champions are holding a training camp in Conakry.

According to the Zecevic, SLAC re-signed Nigerian Michael Nwabuzor, but Dane Miller, who recorded team-highs of 19.5 points and 11.8 rebounds during the qualification round, won’t return for the Nile Conference.

SLAC will count on three new faces for its second BAL season.

American-Philippine Sedric Barefield, Nigerian international player Uche Iroegbu and British power forward Ryan Richards who played for the Petro de Luanda in the inaugural BAL season will all be part of SLAC’s squad in Cairo.

Ubisse out for the season

Second leading scorer (12.8 points per game) for Ferroviario da Beira during the qualification round, Helton Ubisse told the bal.nba.com that he is out for the 2023 Nile Conference due to health reasons.

Stay tuned for the more updates on the current BAL season.