In Kigali, Rwanda, Libya`s Al Ahli Tripoli delivered a decisive 115-87 defeat to Kenya`s Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) on Sunday, marking NCT`s second consecutive significant loss in the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The victory was particularly notable as Al Ahli Tripoli established a new league record for the highest team points scored in a single game.
This achievement surpassed the previous record of 113-66, set by Tunisia`s US Monastir against Madagascar`s GNBC during the BAL`s inaugural season in 2021, also held in Kigali.
Al Ahli Tripoli came into the match following a solid 87-77 win against South Africa`s MBB the previous day, while NCT was looking to rebound from a 92-63 loss to Rwanda`s APR.
Al Ahli Tripoli took control early in Sunday`s game, building a 19-7 lead, spearheaded by captain Mohamed Sadi. However, NCT found their footing towards the end of the first quarter, narrowing Al Ahli Tripoli`s advantage to 24-18.
Nairobi City Thunder maintained this positive momentum into the second quarter, reducing the deficit to just two points at 39-37. Yet, Jean-Jacques Boissy began to dominate, fueling a crucial 14-1 run that pushed Al Ahli Tripoli to a comfortable 53-38 lead by halftime.
Similar to their previous game, NCT struggled in the second half, starting Sunday poorly. Al Ahli Tripoli quickly extended their lead in the third quarter, scoring 18 of the first 21 points to reach 71-41. With Jaylen Adams and Boissy leading the offensive charge, Al Ahli Tripoli ended the third quarter up 81-53.
The fourth quarter saw a high-scoring exchange from both teams, with Uchenna Iroegbu of NCT finding his shooting touch from various positions. Both teams added 34 points in this final period, securing Al Ahli Tripoli`s place in history as the highest-scoring team in a BAL game.
Jean-Jacques Boissy was the top scorer for Al Ahli Tripoli with 30 points, followed by Jaylen Adams with 26, Deon Thompson with 21, and Mohamed Sadi with 20. For Nairobi City Thunder, Uchenna Iroegbu led with 18 points, Eugene Phillips contributed 14, and Tylor Ongwae scored 10.
In the post-match press conference, Al Ahli Tripoli head coach Fouad Abou Chacra commented on Boissy`s role as a high-impact sixth man despite his strong scoring performances. He praised the 25-year-old guard, stating, “He is a young player with very strong character. He`s a winner – he doesn`t like excuses. He doesn`t want to be victimized. Every time he steps in, he`s a hard worker.” Chacra added, “I`m blessed as a coach because these guys are not only great players. They are great men – human beings… The human part is beautiful in my team in that they all love each other; they tap in directly and they correct each other. There is no distance between these players. That`s why, Boissy stepping in as a sixth man will for sure be the best sixth man at this tournament.”
Looking ahead, Al Ahli Tripoli is scheduled to play against APR on Tuesday. Nairobi City Thunder will also be in action that day, seeking their first win against South Africa`s MBB.
