Club Africain Secures Playoff Spot as Samba Fall Stuns FUS Rabat in Sahara Conference

Posted : 01 May 2026

The 2026 Basketball Africa League Sahara Conference reached a fever pitch in Rabat this week. Tunisian giants Club Africain became the first team to punch their ticket to the playoffs in Kigali. They achieved this feat by overcoming JCA Kings in a historic encounter at the Moulay Abdellah Arena.

The match between Club Africain and the Ivorian side was the first game of the season to require overtime. Despite JCA Kings leading for over 26 minutes of the contest, the Tunisians fought back to force an extra period after a 66-66 tie in regulation. Club Africain eventually secured a 79-74 victory to maintain their unblemished 3-0 record. Aminu Mohamed was the standout for the winners with 21 points.

History was also made individually during this clash. Jonathan Cisse of JCA Kings became the first player in the Sahara Conference to hit the 30-point mark this season. His teammate Chris Crawford also recorded the conference's first double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Despite these efforts, the Kings remain winless after three games. They struggled with 18 turnovers compared to just four from the Tunisians.

The hosts, FUS Rabat, suffered a heartbreaking first defeat against Senegal’s ASC Ville de Dakar. In a game decided in the final moments, Samba Fall sank a clutch three-pointer with only five seconds remaining. The shot secured a 67-66 win for the Senegalese champions. Fall finished with 17 points, scoring 10 of those in the fourth quarter to keep his team’s playoff hopes alive.

FUS Rabat’s loss was compounded by a growing injury list. The Moroccan side confirmed that leading scorer Abdoulaye Harouna will be sidelined for several weeks. They are also missing Abdelhakim Zouita and Ilias Aqboub due to fitness issues. Kuany Atem Kuany led the Moroccan side with 19 points in the losing effort.

Currently, Club Africain leads the standings with six points. FUS Rabat and Al Ahly follow closely with five points each. ASC Ville de Dakar and Maktown Flyers sit on four points as the race for the top four spots intensifies. The Sahara Conference is scheduled to resume on Friday, May 1.

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Club Africain Clinch BAL Playoffs; Samba Fall Stuns FUS Rabat

Club Africain Secures Playoff Spot as Samba Fall Stuns FUS Rabat in Sahara Conference

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