While Rwanda’s APR secured the bronze medal, the champions of the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) are none other than Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli, coached by Tunisian assistant Amine Rzig.
Petro Luanda of Angola missed their shot at history on Saturday afternoon, falling 88–67 in the final. A win would have made them the first club to claim two BAL titles—and the first to defend their crown.
Instead, it was Al Ahli Tripoli that stunned fans as the breakout team of this fifth edition of the BAL. The Libyan side made its first-ever appearance in the Final 8 this year, capping off their debut run with an unexpected championship.
The final also carried symbolic weight for Ivorian veteran Souleyman Diabaté, known as Solo. The 37-year-old Petro Luanda player made his fourth BAL final appearance in five editions—a league record. After winning titles with Zamalek and losing one with US Monastir, Diabaté fell short of claiming a third championship, which would have made him the only player with three BAL titles.
For the record, Michael Fakuade remains the sole player to have won the BAL with two different clubs—Zamalek and Al Ahly.
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