– Top Eight BAL Teams to Compete at BAL Playoffs and Finals in Kigali, Rwanda from May 20-27- 

– Kenny Sol to Perform Prior to Tip-Off; DJ Makeda to Entertain Fans at Opening Game – 

– Tickets On Sale Now at BAL.NBA.com – 

KIGALI, Rwanda, May 20, 2023 – The Basketball Africa League (BAL) today announced the list of entertainers that will be headlining the halftime performances during the finals. The 2023 BAL Playoffs and Finals will take place at BK Arena in Rwanda from Saturday, May 20 and will conclude on Saturday, May 27. The top eight teams from the league’s Sahara and Nile Conferences will compete in a single-elimination Playoffs and Finals, with the winner crowned the third BAL champion. 

The 2023 BAL Playoffs will tip off on May 20 at 10:00 a.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. CAT when Sahara Conference group leaders Stade Malien (Mali) takes on South Africa’s Cape Town Tigers, followed by Egypt’s Al Ahly against host team Rwanda Energy Group at 1:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CAT. The quarterfinals will continue on May 21 with Senegal’s AS Douanes facing Mozambique’s CFV-Beira at 10:00 a.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. CAT, followed by 2022 runner-up and Nile Conference group leaders Petro de Luanda (Angola) against Cote d’Ivoire’s Abidjan Basketball Club at 1:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CAT. 

The games will air on select free-to-air channels in all 54 African countries through a partnership with the African Union of Broadcasting, American Forces Network (AFN), Canal+, ESPN (sub-Saharan Africa), NBA TV, Tencent, TV5 Monde, Visionary TV and Voice of America (VOA), and livestreaming on the NBA App, NBA.com and BAL.NBA.com. Fans can view the complete Playoffs and Finals schedule and purchase tickets at BAL.NBA.com. 

Below is the list of entertainers during the finals: 

Saturday May 20 – Quarterfinals Day 1 

• Ibihame by’ Imana 
• Kenny Sol 
• Ariel Ways 
• DJ Makeda 
• Juno Kizigenza 
• Fully Focus 

Sunday May 21 – Quarterfinals Day 2 

• The Urban Song 
• Chris Eazy 
• DJ Toxxyk 

Wednesday May 24 – Semifinals 

• Kivumbi King 
• Ommy Dimpoz 
• DJ Makeda 

Friday May 26 – Third Place Game 

• Abby Chams 
• DJ Makeda 
• DJ Dollar 

Saturday May 27 – Championship Game 

• Bruce Melodie 
• DJ Neptune 

About the BAL 

The Basketball Africa League (BAL), a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa. Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, the BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA Africa has organized across the continent and marks the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America. Fans can follow the BAL (@theBAL) on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube and register their interest in receiving more information at BAL.NBA.com. 

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Contact 

Edwin Eselem, Basketball Africa League, +221 786154287, eeselem@thebal.com