The fourth season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) came with its own twists, and just like the introduction of the first-ever Kalahari Conference, the organisers decided to also chip in the first of its kind “seeding games”.
The seeding games, which will be played just before the beginning of the playoffs, will see the eight qualified teams go up against each other to achieve the final pairings for the playoffs.
With many fans confused about what these seeding games entail, Afrosport breaks down the newly introduced concept as well as sheds more light on the teams that will be participating in it.
The seeding games for this season’s #BAL playoff is set for May 24 & 25 at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.
Eight teams will play in the seeding games which will decide how the teams will matchup in the playoffs.
May 24: 🇱🇾Al Ahly Benghazi v Cape Town Tigers🇿🇦… pic.twitter.com/aMvejRwBou
— AfroSport (@AfroSportTV) May 19, 2024
What are the seeding games?
Originally, teams that qualify for the BAL playoffs were pitted against each other just based on the rankings from their respective conferences, using their win percentage (PCT) as well as point differential (PD) when needed.
However, for this season, the seeding games will be played before the actual playoffs commence. The games, which will be played by the qualified teams from the conferences, will help the organisers determine the final team rankings so as to pair them easily ahead of the playoff.
How will the seeding games work?
All eight teams that either qualified automatically for the playoffs or finished as the two best third-placed teams after the three conferences came to an end, will all be seeded based on their win percentages.
The top two sides will face off against each other; then seeds three and four; five and six; and lastly, seven and eight will all battle each other to determine the final pairings for the playoffs.
Which teams will compete in the seeding games?
As earlier stated, all eight teams that advanced to the playoffs from the three conferences—Kalahari, Nile, and Sahara—will all compete in the seeding games.
The teams include: FUS de Rabat, Petro de Luanda, Al Ahly, Al Ahly Benghazi, Rivers Hoopers, AS Douanes, US Monastir, and Cape Town Tigers.
Meet the Elite Eight! 🌟
Here are the teams heading to the BAL Playoffs in Kigali, Rwanda 🇷🇼:🔹 Al Ahly 🇪🇬
🔹 FUS Rabat 🇲🇦
🔹 Rivers Hoopers 🇳🇬
🔹 AS Douanes 🇸🇳
🔹 Petro de Luanda 🇦🇴
🔹 US Monastir 🇹🇳
🔹 Al Ahly Ly 🇱🇾
🔹 Cape Town Tigers 🇿🇦The battle for the #BAL4 title… pic.twitter.com/BPZTNxlqwo
— Basketball Africa League (@theBAL) May 14, 2024
How have the teams been paired for the seeding games?
As explained earlier, the teams will be paired based on their performances in their respective conferences.
Defending champions Al Ahly (5-1) finished with the best record; therefore, they are the first seed. Fellow North African side FUS de Rabat (3-1) is the second seed, having finished with the second-best win percentage; these two teams will battle each other.
For the third and fourth seeds, Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers (4-2), who topped the Sahara Conference, finished with the third-best PCT. This means they will be up against their conference rivals, AS Douanes (3-3), who are the fourth seed.
Petro de Luanda (2-2) and US Monastir (3-3) will face off in the battle between the fifth and sixth seeds, while Al Ahly Benghazi (3-3) will play South Africa’s Cape Town Tigers (1-3) in the battle between the seventh and eighth seeds.
Where and when will the seeding games be played?
The seeding games, like the BAL playoffs, will be played at the prestigious BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, over two days.
Day 1 will take place on Friday, May 24, while Day 2 comes up on Saturday, May 25.
FULL FIXTURE LIST FOR SEEDING GAMES
May 24: Al Ahly Benghazi v Cape Town Tigers
Al Ahly SC v FUS de Rabat
May 25: Petro de Luanda v US Monastir
Rivers Hoopers v AS Doaunes
