The semifinal game was played at BK Arena on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, and was attended by about 6,530 fans led by Paul Kagame.
The match started in a very balanced fashion, with both teams closely matched as the first quarter ended tied at 24-24. In the second quarter, Oumar Ballo and Craig Randall began scoring heavily for Tigers.
However, the momentum did not last long as Kelvin Murphy and Nuni Omot responded with crucial points for Al Ahly. The Egyptian side erased the deficit, and the first half ended level at 50-50.
RSSB Tigers regained control in the third quarter, with Teafale Lenard Jr and Mangok Mathiang contributing key baskets. But toward the end of the quarter, Al Ahly fought back through Zachary Lofton, reducing the gap as RSSB Tigers led 80-76 heading into the final quarter.
RSSB Tigers continued their impressive performance, backed by strong support from the home crowd at BK Arena. Antino Jackson, Mangok Mathiang, and Teafale extended the lead to 10 points at 94-84.
With four minutes remaining, Al Ahly’s star player Nuni Omot fouled out after committing five fouls, leaving his team in a difficult position as RSSB Tigers maintained control to secure a 106-97 victory.
The Rwandan side, participating in the tournament for the first time, immediately made history as the first club from Rwanda to qualify for the BAL final in the competition’s sixth edition.
In the final scheduled for Sunday, May 31, 2026, RSSB Tigers will face the winner between Petro de Luanda and Al Ahly Benghazi, who are set to play on Thursday night.
