Al Ahli Tripoli make history with 2025 Basketball Africa League triumph in Pretoria

Al Ahli Tripoli delivered a landmark performance in Pretoria on Saturday 14 June, defeating reigning champions Petro de Luanda 88–67 to secure the 2025 Basketball Africa League title and become the first Libyan club to lift the continental trophy.

The fifth edition of the league concluded in South Africa with a memorable final as the Libyan side capped a remarkable debut campaign with a dominant display. Al Ahli Tripoli finished the tournament with an impressive 9–1 record, underlining their consistency throughout the season.

After topping the Nile Conference group phase in Kigali, the team carried their momentum through the knockout stages, defeating Cape Verde’s Kriol Star in the quarter finals and Rwanda’s APR in the semi finals before reaching the championship game.

In Pretoria, Al Ahli Tripoli gradually took control of the contest. Holding a narrow 43–38 advantage at half time, they surged ahead in the second half to seal a convincing 21 point victory over the Angolan powerhouse.

Egyptian centre Assem Marei delivered a standout performance with 22 points and 19 rebounds, while Fabian White Jr. added 18 points and nine rebounds to strengthen the Libyan side’s charge to the title.

Senegalese guard Jean Jacques Boissy also played a decisive role off the bench, contributing 12 points in the final. His influence throughout the campaign saw him finish as the league’s leading scorer with an average of 18.9 points per game across ten matches. Boissy was subsequently named the league’s Most Valuable Player, receiving the prestigious Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy.

Al Ahli Tripoli’s success was further recognised when head coach Abou Chacra Joseph Fouad was named Coach of the Year.

Reflecting on the team’s journey, shooting guard Nasseim Badrush credited the squad’s unity for their historic achievement.

“Our togetherness was the key to our success,” he said. “No matter the challenges we faced, we stayed committed to our goal. From training in Turkey after the Nile Conference to travelling to Tunisia to secure visas for South Africa, we remained focused and fought for one another.”

Earlier in the day, Rwanda’s APR BBC secured third place with a 123–90 victory over Egypt’s Al Ittihad Alexandria in the highest scoring game in league history.

APR centre Aliou Diarra was named Defensive Player of the Year, receiving the Dikembe Mutombo Trophy, while Petro de Luanda guard Souleyman Diabate earned the Sportsmanship Award and the Manute Bol Trophy.

The 2025 season also marked a major milestone for the league, with a record attendance of 141,564 fans across the competition, reflecting the continued growth and popularity of basketball across the African continent.