Basketball Africa League (BAL) season 4 will tip off on Saturday 9th March, in Pretoria, South Africa.
According to the organizers, the league has expanded the host cities, from 3 to 4 and the number of games played per season from 38 to 48 per season.
The opening game of the BAL Season 4 will see Petro de Luanda going up against FUS Rabat at 4 pm (CAT) on Saturday, March 9 while Cape Town Tigers will face Dynamo Basketball Club at 7 pm (CAT).
Also, BAL Season 4 will be played for the very first time in South Africa, and it has launched a new Conference: the Kalahari Conference.
Among the 12 participating teams in the 2024 BAL Season, five teams are set to make their maiden appearance in the league while two others are returning for the fourth season in a row.
BAL newcomers include Al Ahly Ly (Libya), Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball (Rwanda), Bangui Sporting Club (Central African Republic), Dynamo Basketball Club (Burundi) and FUS Rabat (Morocco).
The three new countries (Burundi, Central African Republic and Libya) to be represented in the BAL join 18 others whose flags have or continue to be carried around BAL arenas.
The 12 teams are split across three conferences, consisting of four teams each.
Kalahari Conference:
Venue: SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa.
Schedule – March 9-17.
Teams: Cape Town Tigers (hosts), Dynamo Basketball Club, FUS Rabat and Petro de Luanda.
Nile Conference:
Venue: Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo, Egypt.
Schedule: April 19-27.
Teams: Al Alhy Sporting Club (hosts), Al Ahly Libya, Bangui Sporting Club, City Oilers.
Sahara Conference:
Venue: Dakar Arena, Senegal
Schedule: May 4 – 12.
Teams: Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball, AS Douanes, Rivers Hoopers, US Monastir.
BAL Season 4, Playoffs:
Venue: BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda
Schedule: Playoffs teams will compete for four seeding games followed by an eight-game, single-elimination series and Finals from Friday, May 24 – Saturday, June 1.
Each conference will play a 12-game Group Phase with each team facing the other three twice.